[A rare cause of heart failure: hypocalcemic cardiopathy].

In this paper, the authors present the case of hypocalcemic cardiopathy observed in a female patient who underwent thyroidectomy which was complicated post-operatively by the development of hypoparathyroidism. Two attacks of heart failure experienced by this patient were improved by the administration of calcium in combination with digitalis treatment. A study of cases published in the medical literature reveals that this condition is a rare cause of heart failure which develops only in the course of chronic hypocalcemia, with few neuromuscular clinical manifestations. The dual negative inotropic and hypovolemic effects caused by hypocalcemia explain the efficacy observed with the administration of calcium therapy, while the usual symptomatic treatment of this condition is inadequate.