12586 A Case Of Ventricular Fibrillation In Thyroid Storm
Authors: Luzuriaga Chavez A A , Aamir N , Hidalgo J P , Rao A , Patel N 
Published: October 2024

Disclosure: A.A. Luzuriaga Chavez: None. N. Aamir: None. J.P. Hidalgo: None. A. Rao: None. N. Patel: None.

Thyrotoxicosis is a life-threatening condition caused by an excessive level of circulating thyroid hormones. It can lead to high mortality and morbidity, even if diagnosed and treated in its early stages. Symptoms can include fever, irritability, tachycardia, diarrhea, and seizures. Levothyroxine is a medication commonly used for hypothyroidism, but cases of acute overdose have been reported worldwide. This is a case of a 55-year-old woman who was admitted after a cardiac arrest caused by a possible overdose of 8 mg of levothyroxine. Case presentation:A 55-year-old woman with a history of major depressive disorder was found unconscious by her boyfriend next to a bottle of levothyroxine (which contained a 3-month supply) and was rushed to the emergency department (ED) by EMS. According to the patient's medical chart and family, she did not have a history of hypothyroidism. In the field, she suffered a V-fib cardiac arrest but was successfully resuscitated and brought to the ED. However, she had another cardiac arrest upon arrival but was revived again after 20 minutes. During the physical examination, the patient did not exhibit any signs of thyroid enlargement, exophthalmos, or jaundice. The initial electrocardiogram showed concerning signs of ST-elevation myocardial infarction so the patient was started on heparin drip and continuing amiodarone. The patient was then transferred to the ICU for post-arrest care. Bloodwork revealed TSH &lt;0.005, T3 15.74, and T4 1.57. The Burch-Wartofsky point scale indicated a score of 55, which is consistent with a high suspicion of thyroid storm. The patient's condition continued to worsen, with increasing vasopressor requirements and hyperthermia. Despite the amiodarone drip, the patient's heart rate continued to be less than 100 beats per minute, propranolol could not be started. Furthermore, the patient started bleeding from the nasogastric tube, and the medical team was unable to start any oral propylthiouracil or methimazole. Consequently, they administered hydrocortisone 300 mg, followed by 100mg every 8 hours. The patient was transitioned to comfort care measures. Discussion:Massive ingestion of levothyroxine can lead to excessive thyroid hormone levels and cause sympathetic excitation.Reports of adults ingesting levothyroxine are rare, and those who do generally experience more severe symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmias, malignant hyperthermia, and renal failure. Excessive thyroid hormone levels lead to increased beta adrenergic receptors within the myocardium, rendering it more susceptible to both vagal and sympathetic stimulation. A few isolated case reports show thyrotoxicosis was associated with ventricular fibrillation. Thyroid storm can occur a few days after an overdose of levothyroxine. However, in this case, the patient developed thyrotoxicosis within 6 to 8 hours of ingestion, making it an interesting case to study.

Presentation: 6/1/2024