A client who has recently undergone thyroidectomy is being monitored for thyroid storm. Which sign indicates a thyroid storm may be occurring?

A client who has recently undergone thyroidectomy is being monitored for thyroid storm. Which sign indicates a thyroid storm may be occurring?

• A. Constipation
• B. Temperature of 96.6° F
• C. Blood Pressure of 80/60 mm Hg
• D. Heart Rate of 44 Beats Per Minute

Answer: (C)

Thyroid storm is a crisis of extreme thyroid hormone effect with massive sympathetic activation. After thyroidectomy, stress or hormone release can precipitate it, leading to very high fever, tachycardia, and signs of cardiovascular strain. As the crisis progresses, the heart can fail and blood pressure can fall, causing shock. A blood pressure of 80/60 mm Hg signals this kind of severe decompensation and is consistent with thyroid storm in a postoperative patient. By contrast, constipation suggests hypothyroidism, a temperature of 96.6°F is not fever associated with storm, and a heart rate of 44 bpm is bradycardia, not the tachycardia typically seen in a thyroid storm.

Thyroid storm is a crisis of extreme thyroid hormone effect with massive sympathetic activation. After thyroidectomy, stress or hormone release can precipitate it, leading to very high fever, tachycardia, and signs of cardiovascular strain. As the crisis progresses, the heart can fail and blood pressure can fall, causing shock. A blood pressure of 80/60 mm Hg signals this kind of severe decompensation and is consistent with thyroid storm in a postoperative patient. By contrast, constipation suggests hypothyroidism, a temperature of 96.6°F is not fever associated with storm, and a heart rate of 44 bpm is bradycardia, not the tachycardia typically seen in a thyroid storm.