Resumen

MERCADO CRUZ, Eduardo; GARCIA CUBRIA, Cristian Fernando; ARELLANO TEJEDA, Anel  y  RODRIGUEZ HUERTA, Angélica. Thyroid storm, an endocrine emergency. Case report and literature review. Rev. Fac. Med. (Méx.) [online]. 2017, vol.60, n.4, pp.27-36. ISSN 2448-4865.

The thyroid storm is a critical and rare disease, which conditions the dysfunction of multiple organs due to the excessive effect of thyroid hormones. This endocrine dysfunction has a high mortality and generates typical manifestations such as tachycardia, fever, gastrointestinal alterations, and cardiovascular and neurological disorders.

The diagnosis is primarily clinical andean be supported by the scale of "Burch and Wartofsky". Serum concentrations of thyroid hormones are not correlated with the severity of the symptoms, but their assessment is useful to confirm the diagnosis. Other tests that may help complement the diagnosis are thyroid ultrasound, cardiac markers, and assessment of liver and kidney function.

It is usually possible to identify a triggering factor, although in exceptional cases, the thyroid storm may also be the initial manifestation of some thyroid pathology.

Therapeutic strategies are aimed at inhibiting the synthesis and the release of thyroid hormones as well as reducing their concentration and peripheral effects, without forgetting the treatment of the triggering factor.

Palabras llave : Thyroid storm; thyrotoxicosis; hyperthyroidism.