Causes of Malignant hyperthermia

Causes of Malignant hyperthermia: Online Medical Books

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Hyperthermia: Medical causes
(Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series)

Infection and inflammatory disorders

Depending on the specific disorder, the temperature elevation may be insidious or abrupt. It can be a prodromal symptom and is often accompanied by chills, goose bumps, generalized symptoms of fatigue, headache, weakness, anorexia, malaise, and possibly, pain. If the temperature is high, you may find that the patient, particularly an elderly patient, is disoriented and confused. Other associated signs and symptoms depend on the disease and can involve any body system. The patient’s history may include exposure to an infectious agent, travel to an endemic area, or exposure to the animal or insect vector of an infectious organism. Or his recent history may include a blood transfusion, surgery, trauma, or burns.

Malignant hyperthermia

Rapid temperature increases occur at a rate of about 2º F (1.1° C) every 15 minutes to as high as 109.4° F (43° C). Usually the rise is preceded by skeletal muscle rigidity, cardiac arrhythmia, tachycardia, and tachypnea. The patient’s history will include exposure to inhalant anesthesia, particularly halothane, or muscle relaxants, particularly succinylcholine, which can trigger malignant hyperthermia in patients with the inherited trait. Other predicting factors in susceptible persons include trauma, exercise, exposure to high environmental temperatures, and infection.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is marked by an explosive onset of hyperthermia accompanied by muscle rigidity, altered level of consciousness, cardiac arrhythmias, tachycardia, wide fluctuations in blood pressure, postural instability, dyspnea, and tachypnea. The patient history will include use of neuroleptic drugs such as haloperidol, chlorpromazine, thioridazine, or thiothixene.

Thermoregulatory dysfunction

With thermoregulatory dysfunction, the patient’s temperature rises suddenly and rapidly. The temperature then stays at 105° F to 107° F (40.6° C to 41.7° C). Assessment may reveal vomiting, hot flushed skin, and a decreased level of consciousness. The patient may also experience complications such as tachycardia, tachypnea, or hypotension. Other findings may include mottle cyanosis, if the patient has malignant hyperthermia; diarrhea if he is experiencing a thyroid storm; and signs of increased intracranial pressure when the problem is central nervous system trauma or hemorrhage. Heatstroke, brain stem compression, and thyroid storm are common causes of thermoregulatory dysfunction. Toxic doses of amphetamines and salicylates will also disrupt the thermoregulatory centers in the brain.

Other causes

Drugs

Hyperthermia can result from the use of tricyclic antidepressants and drugs that impair sweating, such as anticholinergics, phenothiazines, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

Impaired heat dissipation

Impaired heat dissipation occurs with severe dehydration, in which sweat production decreases heat loss by evaporation. It also occurs when the environmental temperature is high, and the body can’t rid itself of heat as fast as it’s being received.

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Malignant hyperthermia as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Malignant hyperthermia as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Malignant hyperthermia. Our database lists the following as having Malignant hyperthermia as a complication of that condition:

• Congenital myopathy

Malignant hyperthermia as a symptom:

Conditions listing Malignant hyperthermia as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Malignant hyperthermia. Our database lists the following as having Malignant hyperthermia as a symptom of that condition:

• Contractures, congenital, torticollis and malignant hyperthermia
• Froster-Iskenius-Waterson syndrome
• King-Denborough syndrome
• Native American myopathy

Related information on causes of Malignant hyperthermia:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Malignant hyperthermia may be found in:

• Hidden causes of Malignant hyperthermia

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