Malignant hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) or malignant hyperpyrexia is a rare life-threatening condition that is usually triggered by exposure to certain drugs used for general anesthesia — specifically the volatile anesthetic agents and succinylcholine, a neuromuscular blocking agent. In susceptible individuals, these drugs can induce a drastic and uncontrolled increase in oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle, which overwhelms the body's capacity to supply oxygen, remove carbon dioxide, and regulate body temperature, eventually leading to circulatory collapse and death if not immediately treated.