Myxedema coma is an extreme and rare incarnation of undressed severe hypothyroidism. It represents a medical emergency with a high mortality rate of 60–80 if prompt treatment isn't initiated( 1). In addition to the signs and symptoms of chronic hypothyroidism, myxedema coma is marked by depression of internal status, hypothermia, bradycardia, hypovolemia, hypoventilation, and hypoglycemia (2).
Myxedema coma is thought to affect 0.22 to 0.37 instances per million people annually (3, 4). It tends to affect older women with undressed primary hypothyroidism. Still, it can also be occur in cases of secondary hypothyroidism or those rendered hypothyroid after a remedy for hyperthyroidism( 5). The pathogenesis of myxedema coma involves long-standing thyroid hormone insufficiency leading to generalized hypoactivity and hypometabolism at the tissue position( 6).
Factors contributing to myxedema coma include cold exposure, trauma, infection, cerebrovascular events, and certain specifics( 7). These factors can decompensate a case of severe beginning hypothyroidism and precipitate myxedema coma. Without prompt opinion and treatment, cases witness progressive torpor, hypotension, hypothermia, hypoventilation, and eventual death( 8).
Then we describe a case of myxedema coma in a middle-aged Ugandan woman with no previous history of hypothyroidism. To date, there have been no published reports of myxedema coma in Uganda or, more broadly, in sub-Saharan Africa. We present what we believe to be the first proven case of myxedema coma in western Uganda. The case highlights the significance of early recognition and operation of this rare life-hanging exigency, indeed in resource-limited settings where access to advanced diagnostics and ferocious care may be confined.