TITLE:
Case Series: Myxedema Crisis and Pericardial Effusion
AUTHORS:
Alejandro Castellanos Pinedo, José Correa Guerrero, Andrea Graciano Castro, Hernando David Vargas Sierra, Julia Regina De Voz Muñoz, Hernando Vargas-Uricoechea
KEYWORDS:
Myxedema, Hypothyroidism, Pericardial, Effusion
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.15 No.8,
August
11,
2026
ABSTRACT: Myxedema coma is a rare but highly lethal endocrine emergency. It usually presents with altered mental status, hypotension, bradycardia, hypothermia, bradypnea, hyporeflexia, hyponatremia, and hypoglycemia, all resulting from a profound deficiency of thyroid hormones. Additionally, affected individuals may present with signs of low cardiac output, generalized edema, shock, pericardial and/or pleural effusion, and altered mental status (with or without coma). We present three cases of patients with myxedema coma and pericardial effusion, all with unusual clinical features.