Key result
A 38-year-old woman with severe primary hypothyroidism presented with cardiac tamponade, highlighting that hypothyroidism should be considered during the evaluation of pericardial effusions.
Case Report (n=1)
Primary hypothyroidism is a rare but important differential diagnosis to consider in patients presenting with unexplained pericardial effusions and cardiac tamponade.
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Merits hypothyroidism in unexplained tamponade differentials; case report leaves open need for prospective validation.
We present a rare case of cardiac tamponade as the initial presentation of primary hypothyroidism. A 38-year-old woman presented with shortness of breath and fatigue for 2 months. She had cardiomegaly on chest X-ray, and transthoracic echocardiogram showed evidence of cardiac tamponade. Urgent pericardiocentesis was performed; the pericardial fluid was exudative with negative cultures and cytology. She was also found to have pleural effusions and ascites. Laboratory tests revealed severe hypothyroidism, and thyroxine replacement therapy was started. The case highlights that the diagnosis of hypothyroidism should not be overlooked during the evaluation of patients with pericardial effusions.
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Zahid et al. (2019) conducted a case report in Cardiac tamponade and primary hypothyroidism (n=1). Pericardiocentesis and thyroxine replacement therapy was evaluated. A 38-year-old woman with severe primary hypothyroidism presented with cardiac tamponade, highlighting that hypothyroidism should be considered during the evaluation of pericardial effusions.
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