What causes myxedema coma?
Most patients with myxedema coma have a history of hypothyroidism, thyroid surgery, or radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid disease. Very rarely, the problem is not caused by the inability of the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormone; but rather is caused by the failure of the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus to correctly signal the thyroid gland to perform its normal functions. In this situation, the thyroid gland is normal, but it is not receiving the signals from the pituitary gland or hypothalamus to make the thyroid hormone it is capable of producing. Picture of the Thyroid Gland Picture of the Pituitary Gland What are triggers of myxedema coma? Certain factors may suddenly trigger myxedema coma in a person with poorly controlled hypothyroidism. These include: • drugs (particularly sedatives, narcotics, anesthesia, lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), and amiodarone (Cordarone), • infections, • stroke, • trauma, • heart failure, • gastrointestinal bleeding, • hypothermia (abnormal
