Cardiomyopathy Secondary to Hypocalcemia.

The contractility of the heart is a result of the interplay of ionic movements in and out of its individual cells. Calcium ion plays an important role in the ventricular function. We report a 34 year old female who presented with cardiogenic shock having had no cardiac symptoms previously. She had underwent a total thyroidectomy five years back for medullary thyroid cancer. Laboratory tests revealed her calcium levels to be very low and a diagnosis of hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy secondary to hypopituitarism was made. With vigorous calcium supplementation apart from diuretics the patient had rapid clinical improvement.
(© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2011.)