Wikipedia:Today's featured article/June 21, 2011

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is a condition featuring attacks of muscle weakness in the presence of hyperthyroidism (overactivity of the thyroid gland pictured). Hypokalemia (decreased potassium levels in the blood) is usually present during attacks. The condition may be life-threatening if weakness of the breathing muscles leads to respiratory failure, or if the low potassium levels lead to cardiac arrhythmias (irregularities in the heart rate). If untreated, it is typically recurrent in nature. The condition has been linked with genetic mutations in genes that code for certain ion channels that transport electrolytes (sodium and potassium) across cell membranes. Treatment of the hypokalemia, followed by correction of the hyperthyroidism, leads to complete resolution of the attacks. It occurs predominantly in males of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Korean descent. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is one of several conditions that can cause periodic paralysis. (more...)

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