Essay On Malignant Hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia is an autosomal dominant disorder that affects the muscles and metabolism in reaction to certain anesthetic gases and succinylcholine (Huether, 2012, p. 986). Individuals affected by this disorder carry a defect on the ryanodine gene (RYR1) (Gisolfi, 2000). This receptor on the skeletal muscle cells is found on the calcium release channels of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (Eilers, 2012). Certain anesthetics such as inhalation anesthetics of halothane, sevoflurane, desflurane, and the intravenous medication succinylcholine trigger an uncontrolled release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and an enormous increase of intracellular calcium in skeletal muscle (Sanford, 2010). The calcium causes muscles to contract thereby increasing the patient’s metabolism. This hypermetabolic rate causes hyperthermia, hypercapnia, tachycardia, hyperkalemia, and metabolic acidosis (Eilers, 2012). The Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States calls it an “underlying physiologic mechanism – abnormal handling of intracellular calcium levels (Malignant Hyperthermia Syndrome Slide Presentation , 2010)”. …show more content…
In the United States MHAUS (Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States) reports about 600 cases per year with particular areas of Wisconsin, Michigan and West Virginia reporting more cases (Malignant Hyperthermia Syndrome Slide Presentation , 2010). In Freeman, we do have a family with a known history of Malignant Hyperthermia and their names are flagged in our system to help identify these patients prior to any procedure in addition to pre-operative physical where these patients are assessed and questioned about any family history of difficulty with anesthesia such as high fevers or “coke colored