Acute fulminating beriberi

The whole picture of acute fulminating beriberi is dominated by insufficiency of heart and blood vessels and this tends to mask all other features of the subacute form, although these are often present and accentuated. Death is accompanied by a systolic pressure falling to 70-80 mm, the pulse becomes thinner, and the veins dilate. The rough whistling respiration deteriorates and rales appear. The patient dies Intensely dyspneic but usually fully conscious. 

Thiamin deficiency can result in three distinct syndromes a chronic peripheral neuritis, beriberi, which may or may not be associated with heart ilure and edema acute pernicious (fulminating) beriberi (shoshin beriberi), in which heart failure and metabolic abnormalities predominate, without peripheral neuritis and Wernicke s encephalopathy with KorsakofPs psychosis, which is associated especially with alcohol and dmg abuse. The central role of thiamin diphosphate in... 

Acute Pernicious (Fulminating) Beriberi - Shoshin Beriberi... 

Campbell CH (1984) The severe lacticacidosis of thiamine deficiency acute pernicious or fulminating beriberi. Lancet 2,446-9. 

Acute pernicious (fulminating) beriberi - shoshin beriberi... 

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