Registered Nurse (RN) Endocrine Licensure Practice Exam

Myxedema Coma is the severe and life-threatening form of hypothyroidism that can occur when there is a significant lack of thyroid hormone. In this patient's case, recent discharge following a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and noncompliance with Synthroid treatment can lead to a critical drop in thyroid hormone levels.

The symptoms of myxedema coma include extreme lethargy, bradycardia (low heart rate), hypothermia, and altered mental status, all of which align with the patient's presentation. The failure to take Synthroid, a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone, directly contributes to this dangerous condition, as the body is unable to maintain sufficient metabolic activity without these hormones.

Symptoms such as low heart rate are particularly notable in myxedema coma due to decreased metabolic demands and autonomic function, while serious lethargy indicates deep systemic effects of the hormone deficiency. In summary, the combination of these severe symptoms in a patient with a known history of hypothyroidism and lack of treatment clearly indicates myxedema coma as the most likely condition being experienced.