THE SHEILA MULDOON MALIGNANT HYPERTHERMIA
DIAGNOSTIC CENTER
Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) is a severe reaction to specific anesthetic medications, anesthetic gases, and in some cases, extreme physical exertion. It is different from an allergic reaction. A malignant hyperthermia episode leads to a very high body temperature or fever, muscle stiffness, and a very fast heart rate. Patients may not know they are susceptible to MH and look and feel completely normal until an episode occurs.
MH is often passed on genetically from parents to their children. So, if a blood-related family member had an MH episode, you are at risk as well. If you or a blood relative have been told that they are Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptible (MHS), it is important to tell your doctors and any anesthesia providers who takes care of you. We also recommend wearing a medical alert bracelet in case of an emergency.
Please review our Malignant Hyperthermia Overview for Patients and Providers and the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) to learn more about MH and MH testing. We are currently only performing CHCT/Muscle Biopsy testing on Tricare Beneficiaries and civilians who are actively pursuing a military career as well as civilians who are blood relatives of active duty service members. All patients, civilian and military, have the option to enroll in our genetic testing research if they are interested.
MH Research: MH is primarily unmasked using inhalational anesthetics (halothane, sevoflurane, isoflurane) and/or the neuromuscular blocking agent succinylcholine. Currently, no non-invasive assay is available to validly detect the MHS trait, whose prevalence is estimated to be 1 in 2,750 within the general population. The long term goal of our research is to develop a non-invasive bioassay to detect MH Susceptibility. Please visit our Laboratory Research page to learn more about our current MH research projects.
MH Lab Contact: MHLab@usuhs.edu