Malignant hyperthermia: a potentially fatal complication of anesthesia.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is an uncommon cause of anesthetic-induced death; it is an inherited disorder that is triggered by the administration of anesthetic drugs. MH is triggered by the administration of volatile anesthetic agents and succinylcholine, a depolarizing muscle relaxant. It is imperative that the perianesthesia staff be familiar with the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic properties of dantrolene, which is the only known agent effective in the treatment and prophylaxis of MH.