Definition for malignant hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia (MH or MHS for "malignant hyperthermia syndrome", or "malignant hyperpyrexia due to anesthesia") is a rare life-threatening condition that is triggered by exposure to drugs used for general anaesthesia, such as volatile anaesthetics or the depolarizing muscle relaxant suxamethonium chloride. more

Malignant hyperthermia (MH or MHS for "malignant hyperthermia syndrome", or "malignant hyperpyrexia due to anesthesia") is a rare life-threatening condition that is triggered by exposure to drugs used for general anaesthesia, such as volatile anaesthetics or the depolarizing muscle relaxant suxamethonium chloride. In susceptible individuals, these drugs can induce a drastic and uncontrolled increase in skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism which overwhelms the body's capacity to supply oxygen, remove carbon dioxide, and regulate body temperature, eventually leading to circulatory collapse and death if untreated. MH is often inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder, for which there are at least 6 loci of interest. MH is phenotypically and genetically related to central core disease (CCD), an autosomal dominant disorder characterized both by MH symptoms and myopathy. MH is sometimes confused with the neuroleptic malignant syndrome, but the two syndromes are distinct. less