Thyrotoxic Crisis/Thyroid Storm

Abstract

Thyrotoxic crisis is an uncommon, life-threatening condition with aggravated toxic symptoms. It occurs most frequently in inadequately or untreated patients with Graves’ disease, but has also been described in multinodular toxic goitre. Toxic crisis generally develops relatively rapidly and can occur in all ages and in both men and women.

It is nearly always triggered by factors such as infection, trauma or surgery. Other causes are amiodarone treatment, diabetic ketoacidosis, cerebrovascular incidents, radiation-induced thyroiditis, pre-eclampsia or parturition. A toxic crisis is rarely seen in well-controlled patients with hyperthyroidism.