TY - JOUR
T1 - Repairing a "broken heart" with hormone replacement therapy
T2 - Case report of cardiogenic shock due to undiagnosed pituitary insufficiency
AU - Bao, Shunzhong S.
AU - Fisher, Simon J.
PY - 2012/3/1
Y1 - 2012/3/1
N2 - Objectives: To indicate cardiogenic shock as a very rare but serious clinical consequence of untreated panhypopituitarism attributable to Sheehan syndrome; to emphasize the importance of eliciting a detailed endocrine and obstetric history in women presenting with idiopathic heart failure; to highlight the diagnostic shortcomings of screening for thyroid dysfunction solely with thyroid-stimulating hormone determinations; and to report the reversibility of severe heart failure induced by long-term pituitary insufficiency. Methods: Described is a case report of a 35-year-old woman who presented with severe congestive heart failure, hypotension, and confusion. Her 2-dimensional echocardiogram revealed appreciable systolic and diastolic dysfunction. In screening for possible endocrine causes of heart failure, a normal thyroid-stimulating hormone level of 0.72 mIU/L (reference range, 0.35 to 5.5) was unremarkable; however, a profoundly low free thyroxine level of 0.12 ng/dL (reference range, 0.9 to 1.8) led clinicians to pursue a work-up of central hypothyroidism.Results: Endocrine testing confirmed the presence of panhypopituitarism and adrenal insufficiency. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed empty sella syndrome. Further questioning of the patient revealed a history of extensive postpartum bleeding 15 years earlier, failure to lactate, and secondary amenorrhea-all consistent with undiagnosed Sheehan syndrome. In the hospital, the patient was treated with intravenously administered corticosteroids and levothyroxine. Her mental status and symptomatic heart failure improved dramatically. After 9 months of oral levothyroxine and glucocorticoid therapy, the patient remained asymptomatic, and repeated echocardiography indicated completely normalized cardiac function. Conclusion: Severe heart failure and cardiogenic shock can be a very rare (but fortunately reversible) complication of long-standing panhypopituitarism resulting from undiagnosed Sheehan syndrome.
AB - Objectives: To indicate cardiogenic shock as a very rare but serious clinical consequence of untreated panhypopituitarism attributable to Sheehan syndrome; to emphasize the importance of eliciting a detailed endocrine and obstetric history in women presenting with idiopathic heart failure; to highlight the diagnostic shortcomings of screening for thyroid dysfunction solely with thyroid-stimulating hormone determinations; and to report the reversibility of severe heart failure induced by long-term pituitary insufficiency. Methods: Described is a case report of a 35-year-old woman who presented with severe congestive heart failure, hypotension, and confusion. Her 2-dimensional echocardiogram revealed appreciable systolic and diastolic dysfunction. In screening for possible endocrine causes of heart failure, a normal thyroid-stimulating hormone level of 0.72 mIU/L (reference range, 0.35 to 5.5) was unremarkable; however, a profoundly low free thyroxine level of 0.12 ng/dL (reference range, 0.9 to 1.8) led clinicians to pursue a work-up of central hypothyroidism.Results: Endocrine testing confirmed the presence of panhypopituitarism and adrenal insufficiency. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed empty sella syndrome. Further questioning of the patient revealed a history of extensive postpartum bleeding 15 years earlier, failure to lactate, and secondary amenorrhea-all consistent with undiagnosed Sheehan syndrome. In the hospital, the patient was treated with intravenously administered corticosteroids and levothyroxine. Her mental status and symptomatic heart failure improved dramatically. After 9 months of oral levothyroxine and glucocorticoid therapy, the patient remained asymptomatic, and repeated echocardiography indicated completely normalized cardiac function. Conclusion: Severe heart failure and cardiogenic shock can be a very rare (but fortunately reversible) complication of long-standing panhypopituitarism resulting from undiagnosed Sheehan syndrome.
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U2 - 10.4158/EP11284.CR
DO - 10.4158/EP11284.CR
M3 - Article
C2 - 22138080
AN - SCOPUS:84859865084
SN - 1530-891X
VL - 18
SP - e26-e31
JO - Endocrine Practice
JF - Endocrine Practice
IS - 2
ER -