Medical Emergencies · single question
A patient presents with myxedema coma. Which of the following findings would you NOT expect?
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Correct answer: A. Tachycardia
Myxedema coma is a severe, life-threatening complication of hypothyroidism. Classic features include: extreme hypothermia, bradycardia, hypotension, hypoventilation, altered mental status/coma, and hyponatremia. Tachycardia is NOT expected — the opposite (bradycardia) is characteristic. The severely reduced thyroid hormone levels slow virtually all metabolic processes, including heart rate.
- A. ✅ CORRECT – Tachycardia is NOT seen in myxedema coma. Bradycardia is the expected cardiovascular finding.
- B. ❌ Hypothermia IS expected — severely impaired thermogenesis.
- C. ❌ Bradycardia IS expected in myxedema coma — due to markedly reduced metabolic rate and thyroid hormone.
- D. ❌ Altered mental status IS expected — patients may present unconscious or severely obtunded.
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