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Myxedema is associated with other symptoms of underactive thyroid, also called hypothyroidism, including lethargy, weight gain, fatigue, depression, and cold sensitivity, among others.
What are the symptoms of myxedema?
It is often possible to diagnose myxedema on clinical grounds alone. Characteristic symptoms are weakness, cold intolerance, mental and physical slowness, dry skin, typical facies, and hoarse voice. Results of the total serum thyroxine and free thyroxine index tests usually will confirm the diagnosis.
How is myxedema diagnosed?
The function of thyroid hormones is to regulate your metabolism. Myxedema is associated with other symptoms of underactive thyroid, also called hypothyroidism, including lethargy, weight gain, fatigue, depression, and cold sensitivity, among others.
What is myxedema and how can it be treated?
Myxedema is a term used synonymously with severe hypothyroidism. However, the term is also used to describe a dermatological change that can occur in hypothyroidism and some forms of hyperthyroidism. In this latter sense, myxedema refers to deposition of mucopolysaccharides in the dermis, which results in swelling of the affected area.
What is myxedema of the skin?
What are the characteristics of myxedema?
Symptoms of myxedema include thickening of the skin and other symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, including fatigue, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and brittle hair, among others. Skin thickening or swelling associated with myxedema is often described as nonpitting edema.
What is associated with myxedema?
Myxedema crisis is a life-threatening extreme form of hypothyroidism with a high mortality rate if left untreated. Myxedema crisis is commonly seen in older patients, especially women, and is associated with signs of hypothyroidism, hypothermia, hyponatremia, hypercarbia, and hypoxemia.
Which of the following is a signs and symptoms of myxedema coma?
Signs and symptoms of myxedema comaHypothermia.Hypotension.Bradycardia.Decreased pulse pressure, normal systolic pressure, elevated diastolic pressure.Decreased respiratory rate.Periorbital puffiness.Macroglossia.Coarse or thinning hair.More items...•
What is a characteristic of hypothyroidism?
The most common symptoms of hypothyroidism in adults are fatigue, lethargy, cold intolerance, weight gain, constipation, change in voice, and dry skin, but the clinical presentation can include a wide variety of symptoms that differ with age, sex, and time between onset and diagnosis (table 1).
How does myxedema affect the body?
Feeling cold. Low body temperature. Swelling of the body, especially the face, tongue, and lower legs. Difficulty breathing.
Which of the following findings is most likely in a patient who has myxedema?
Which of the following findings is most likely in a patient who has myxedema? Answer: A) Somnolence is a common feature of hypothyroidism. Palpitations, increased respiratory rate, increased cardiac output, and weight loss are all associated with hyperthyroidism.
What does myxedema skin look like?
The skin is pale, cool, and waxy with a potential absence of sweating. As a result of carotenemia, a yellowish discoloration of palms and soles may appear.
When does myxedema occur?
Myxedema coma occurs almost exclusively in persons 60 years and older. More than 90 percent of cases occur during the winter months. This seasonal presentation is probably due to age-related loss of the ability to sense temperature and lower heat production secondary to hypothyroidism.
Why is it called myxedema?
Myxedema can also occur in Hashimoto thyroiditis and other long-standing forms of hypothyroidism. The word myxedema originates from μύξᾰ, taken from ancient Greek to convey 'mucus' or 'slimy substance', and οἴδημα for "swelling". It can also be thought as nonpitting edema, in contrast to pitting edema.
What are 2 symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism signs and symptoms may include:Fatigue.Increased sensitivity to cold.Constipation.Dry skin.Weight gain.Puffy face.Hoarseness.Muscle weakness.More items...•
What is the most common cause of hypothyroidism?
Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune disorder, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. With this disease, your immune system attacks the thyroid. The thyroid becomes inflamed and can't make enough thyroid hormones.
Can hypothyroidism cause Myxoedema?
Myxedema is a result of undiagnosed or untreated severe hypothyroidism. It can also develop when someone stops taking their thyroid medication. It's more common in the elderly and women. Deposits of chains of sugar molecules in the skin cause the skin condition myxedema.
What gland does myxedema affect?
In rare cases, hypothyroidism is life-threatening; this is called myxedema coma. The term myxedema refers to thickening of the skin and other organs due to the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (large carbohydrates and proteins) associated with low serum thyroid hormone concentrations.
What is the pathophysiological cause of myxedema?
Cause. Myxedema is known to occur in various forms of hyperthyroidism, including Graves disease.
Why does myxedema occur in hypothyroidism?
Myxedema also refers to the swelling of the skin and soft tissue that occurs in patients who are hypothyroid. Myxedema coma occurs when the body's compensatory responses to hypothyroidism are overwhelmed by a precipitating factor such as infection.
When does myxedema occur?
Myxedema refers to a severe form of hypothyroidism than can occur when the condition is left untreated or is not treated sufficiently. The term also applies to the effects that hypothyroidism can have on the skin, making it appear swollen and puffy.
What are the symptoms of myxedema?
These symptoms include: Decreased senses of taste and smell. Fullness in the neck (a mass in the neck, called a goiter, is a very rare symptom) Thinning of hair, including eyebrows.
What is myxedema skin?
What is myxedema? Myxedema is a condition marked by thickening and swelling of the skin caused by insufficient production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. The function of thyroid hormones is to regulate your metabolism. Myxedema is associated with other symptoms of underactive thyroid, also called hypothyroidism, including lethargy, ...
What are the potential complications of myxedema?
Myxedema coma is a life-threatening complication of myxedema associated with severe hypothyroidism. Myxedema coma is usually the result of untreated severe hypothyroidism in combination with a triggering event, such as an infection.
What is the treatment for hypothyroidism underlying myxedema?
Treatment of hypothyroidism underlying myxedema. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy is required in most cases of hypothyroidism. These medications replace the thyroid hormone that is lacking in your body and must usually be taken for the rest of your life.
How to treat myxedema?
Myxedema is most often addressed by treating the underlying cause of hypothyroidism that led to the thickening and coarseness of the skin. Medication to replace the reduced thyroid hormones is the most common treatment , and when dosed appropriately, may halt the progression of myxedema.
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
At times any of these symptoms can be severe and include: Brittle hair or fingernails. Constipation. Decreased sweating. Depression. Dry or pale skin. Fatigue.
Why do women get myxedema?
Hypothyroidism is more common in women, especially those over the age of 50, and can be caused by a viral infection, certain medications, radiation exposure, autoimmune disease, or inherited or congenital disorders. Myxedema is caused by hypothyroidism and occurs more frequently when hypothyroidism is left untreated.
What is myxedema in the eyes?
Myxedema describes a specific form of cutaneous and dermal edema secondary to increased deposition of connective tissue components. The connective fibres are separated by an increased amount of protein and mucopolysaccharides. These can include glycosaminoglycans, such as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and other mucopolysaccharides. This protein-mucopolysaccharide complex binds water, producing non-pitting boggy edema, in particular around eyes, hands, feet and in the supraclavicular fossae. Myxoedema is responsible for the thickening of the tongue and the laryngeal and pharyngeal mucous membranes, which results in thick slurred speech and hoarseness, both of which are seen commonly in hypothyroidism.
Where does myxedema come from?
The word myxedema originates from μύξα, taken from ancient Greek to convey 'mucus' or 'slimy substance', and ὁοίδημα for "swelling". It can also be thought as nonpitting edema, in contrast to pitting edema .
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Signs and symptoms. Man with myxedema or severe hypothyroidism showing an expressionless face, puffiness around the eyes and pallor. Additional finding include swelling of the arms and legs and significant ascites. Woman with myxedema, Bulgaria, 1930s. Myxedema can occur in the lower leg ( pretibial myxedema) and behind the eyes ( exophthalmos ).
When was myxedema first diagnosed?
Myxedema was first treated successfully in 1891, when George Redmayne Murray diagnosed a 46-year-old woman with the disease. He prescribed an extract from sheep thyroid. The patient improved significantly within a few weeks and lived another 28 years while taking the sheep thyroid extract.
What are the proteins that cause boggy edema?
These can include glycosaminoglycans, such as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and other mucopolysaccharides. This protein-mucopolysaccharide complex binds water, producing non-pitting boggy edema, in particular around eyes, hands, feet and in the supraclavicular fossae.
Is myxedema fatal?
Myxedema coma is rare but often fatal. It occurs most often in elderly women and may be mistaken for one of the chronic debilitating diseases common to this age group. Though the exact cause of myxedema is still unclear, a wealth of research has demonstrated the importance of iodine.
Can you diagnose myxedema on clinical grounds alone?
Diagnosis. It is often possible to diagnose myxedema on clinical grounds alone. Characteristic symptoms are weakness, cold intolerance, mental and physical slowness, dry skin, typical facies, and hoarse voice. Results of the total serum thyroxine and free thyroxine index tests usually will confirm the diagnosis.
