Hipertermia maligna

Abstract

Malignant hyperthermia is a hypermetabolic disorder of the skeletal muscles, characterized by intracellular hypercalcemia and rapid consumption of adenosine triphosphate. This condition appears as a result of the exposure to 1 or more precipitating anesthetic agents, including halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and succinylcholine. The symptoms of this affection may be present in the operating room or in the Unit of Postanesthetic Care and it is characterized by the sudden appearance of thachycardia, tachypnea, hypertensiion, hypercapnia, hyperthermia, acidosis and muscoloskeletal rigidity. Dantrolene attenuates the elevation of intracellular calcium and may be prophylactically administered or as soon as the diagnosis is suspected. In order to know the physiopathological basis of this syndrome and the most used treatment patterns, an exhaustive bibliographic review was made.