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Hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy due to untreated hypoparathyroidism
Hasan Altunbaş1, Mustafa K Balci, Gökhan Yazicioğlu
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey.
Hormone Research
|March 22, 2003
Summary
Hypoparathyroidism can cause heart failure (hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy) that improves with calcium level correction. This rare condition is often resistant to standard cardiac treatments but responds well to normalizing calcium levels.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy is a rare condition associated with hypoparathyroidism.
- It is often refractory to conventional treatments for cardiac failure.
Observation:
- Two patients with postoperative hypoparathyroidism presented with cardiac failure and hypocalcemia.
- Echocardiography suggested dilated cardiomyopathy, and endomyocardial biopsies confirmed cardiomyopathy.
- Coronary angiograms were normal, ruling out typical causes of dilated cardiomyopathy.
Findings:
- Restoration of normocalcemia led to partial recovery of cardiac function in both patients.
- This suggests that hypocalcemia was the underlying cause of their dilated cardiomyopathy.
Implications:
- This study highlights the importance of considering and treating hypocalcemia in patients with unexplained cardiomyopathy.
- Correcting calcium levels can be an effective treatment for hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy, improving cardiac function.
- Further research into the mechanisms and management of this rare condition is warranted.