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[Thiamine deficiency. A cause of cardiac insufficiency not to be ignored]
Revue Des Maladies Respiratoires
|July 25, 1998
Insights
Thiamine deficiency, a cause of high-output heart failure, can stem from poor nutrition or alcohol. This case highlights cardiac beriberi, detailing its symptoms and underlying mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Nutritional Science
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Thiamine deficiency is a known, albeit uncommon, cause of high-output heart failure.
- Deficiencies can arise from inadequate nutritional intake or secondary to excessive alcohol consumption.
Observation:
- This report details a case of cardiac beriberi, a condition resulting from severe thiamine deficiency.
- The case illustrates the typical clinical presentation associated with this specific type of heart failure.
Findings:
- Cardiac beriberi presents as high-output heart failure, characterized by the heart's inability to meet the body's demands despite increased output.
- The pathophysiology involves thiamine's crucial role in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production within cardiac myocytes.
Implications:
- Understanding cardiac beriberi is essential for diagnosing and managing heart failure, especially in at-risk populations.
- Early recognition and treatment of thiamine deficiency can reverse cardiac dysfunction and prevent irreversible damage.
Abstract:
Thiamine deficiency is one of the classical causes of high out put for heart failure. Deficiency of this vitamin may be nutritional or secondary to alcoholic intoxication. We felt it would be interesting to describe a typical case of cardiac beriberi in order to recall the clinical presentation and the pathophysiology.