Ventricular fibrillation due to severe hypokalemia induced by steroid treatment in a patient with thyrotoxic periodic paralysis

Intern Med. 2006;45(1):11-3. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.45.1495. Epub 2006 Feb 1.

Abstract

We report a 25-year-old Japanese man with ventricular fibrillation associated with severe hypokalemia. He developed arm and leg paralysis. He had received 2 g of methylprednisolone because thoracic epidural hematoma had been suspected in another hospital. His serum potassium was 0.8 mEq/l on arrival at our hospital. Half an hour after arrival ventricular fibrillation occurred. Treatment with electric defibrillation 8 times was successful. Afterward Graves' disease was diagnosed, therefore, his clinical symptom was diagnosed as thyrotoxic periodic paralysis. We considered that the unusual condition of hyperthyroid-related hypokalemia worsened by steroid therapy induced the ventricular fibrillation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Hypokalemia / chemically induced*
  • Hypokalemia / complications*
  • Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis / complications*
  • Male
  • Methylprednisolone / adverse effects*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Ventricular Fibrillation / etiology*

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Methylprednisolone