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Use of a Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device/Left Atrium to Femoral Artery Bypass System for Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: August 16, 2021
Hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy presenting as cardiogenic shock.
Pankaj Gupta1, Munesh Tomar, Sitaraman Radhakrishnan
1Department of Pediatrics and Congenital Heart Surgery, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, India.
Annals of Pediatric Cardiology
|October 7, 2011
Summary
Severe hypocalcemia can cause dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure in infants. Prompt calcium and vitamin D treatment reversed myocardial dysfunction in these critical cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Dilated cardiomyopathy in children can lead to severe heart failure.
- Hypocalcemia is an underrecognized but treatable cause of myocardial dysfunction.
- Cardiogenic shock in infants due to cardiomyopathy is a rare but critical condition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight severe hypocalcemia as a sole cause of cardiogenic shock in infants.
- To emphasize the importance of investigating hypocalcemia in pediatric cardiogenic shock.
- To report the successful treatment of hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy.
Main Methods:
- Case series of 5 infants presenting with cardiogenic shock over 3 years.
- Diagnostic workup included assessment for severe hypocalcemia.
- Treatment involved calcium and vitamin D supplementation.
Main Results:
- Severe hypocalcemia was identified as the sole cause of myocardial dysfunction in all 5 infants.
- All patients showed prompt clinical improvement with calcium and vitamin D supplementation.
- Left ventricular systolic function normalized within months of treatment.
Conclusions:
- Hypocalcemia is a treatable cause of dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure in children.
- Cardiogenic shock in infants warrants investigation for severe hypocalcemia.
- Early diagnosis and treatment of hypocalcemia can lead to complete recovery of cardiac function.
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