[Cardiac decompensation after an adenectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism: hypocalcemic cardiopathy or cascade...

A 42 year old woman presented with an auricular tachyarrhythmia as well as a congestive cardiac failure ascribed to a viral myocarditis, two months after an adenectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism. Serum calcium was low whereas parathormone serum was increased suggesting a "hungry bone syndrome". The left ventricular dysfunction persisted for a long period even after normalization of the serum calcium. The contributory role of hypocalcemia in unexplained or refractory heart failure is reviewed. The eventuality of a cascade effect is evoked.