<p>A 56-year-old woman with a medical history of hypertension presented to our hospital with back pain, abdominal pain, vomiting and elevated blood pressure. The laboratory parameters, including evaluation for secondary hypertension, were within normal ranges at the time of presentation. During her hospitalisation, fluctuations in her blood pressure and pulse were observed, which were attributed to autonomic disturbances, the cause of which was unknown. On the seventh day after the presentation to the hospital, the patient developed focal seizures and slurred speech which was believed to be secondary to hyponatremia detected at that time. Hyponatraemia improved with hypertonic saline, and she experienced no further seizure episodes. On the eighth day of her admission, she developed acute flaccid paralysis of all her limbs and respiratory distress.</p>