Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine (Mar 2017)

Normokalemic Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis with Acute Resolution in the Emergency Department

  • James I. Gragg,
  • Massimo Federico,
  • Larry B. Mellick

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.2017.1.33211
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 1, no. 2

Abstract

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Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is a rare cause of acute paralysis in the emergency department (ED). The disorder is generally thought to be due to acute hypokalemia leading to paralysis. Treatment is generally targeted at correcting the thyrotoxic state with careful potassium repletion. We present a rare case of normokalemic, thyrotoxic periodic paralysis with acute resolution while in the ED.