Thyroid storm is a serious condition caused by a sudden rise in thyroid hormone levels, which can be fatal if left untreated. Symptoms include fever, sweating, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, and seizures. Treatment involves medication to stop thyroid production and medical support to stabilize the patient. Follow-up care with an endocrinologist is necessary to prevent recurrence.
Thyroid storm is a rare, sudden condition that occurs when levels of thyroid hormones in the body rise dramatically. This is an extremely serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Failure to treat thyroid storm usually means the condition is fatal quickly. However, the symptoms are so severe that they are unlikely to be ignored.
Having too much thyroid hormone can occur in different types of disease. It sometimes occurs as a result of thyroid surgery, but more commonly occurs nowadays as a result of underlying conditions such as Grave’s disease, which causes thyroid levels to rise at a slower rate. Sometimes other diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are also responsible for a sudden thyroid storm, although this autoimmune disease is more commonly associated with lower than normal thyroid hormone levels. Other conditions that have been associated with the “storm” include lupus, goiter or thyroid tumors.
Many symptoms can present with thyroid storm. These include fever, usually at least 101.3 degrees F (38.5 C) or higher. In many cases, the fever is at least or higher than 105.8 degrees F (41 C). Sweating and difficulty breathing may also be noted. Nausea or vomiting may occur, and other stomach symptoms such as diarrhea may be present. Sometimes there is also jaundice or yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Behavior may change, and people may be anxious or upset and may show visible shaking or shaking.
On examination of the heart, the heart rate is usually much faster than normal and you may experience a sudden arrhythmia. Your blood pressure may be high initially, but as the thyroid storm progresses it may become too low (hypotensive). The longer this disease is allowed to progress, the greater the potential for damage. Seizures often develop and without treatment, people will eventually fall into a coma and die.
Given the death rate of untreated thyroid storm, the emphasis is on prompt treatment and also making sure that people with certain illnesses like Graves’ are aware of its potential occurrence. As with any form of hyperthyroid disorder, the most common treatment is to give medications to stop thyroid production, and these can vary. You may need other medical support, including giving fluids to help with fluid loss due to high body temperature or vomiting and diarrhea. You may also need to bring down a fever with cooling compresses or ice. Cardiac stability may require ongoing evaluation
Once stability is achieved, patients can be discharged from the hospital but usually need to be followed up by an endocrinologist. The release may be delayed due to the need to treat an underlying condition or cause. Outlook tends to be good for those who receive early treatment, although they may need additional inpatient or outpatient treatment to prevent a thyroid storm from recurring.
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