[1] Normally, through a process called fatty acid oxidation, several enzymes work in a step-wise fashion to metabolize fats and convert them to energy.
[citation needed] Typically, initial signs and symptoms of this disorder occur during infancy or early childhood and can include poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, liver problems, and hyperinsulinism (high levels of insulin).
Individuals with 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency are also at risk for complications such as seizures, life-threatening heart and breathing problems, coma, and sudden unexpected death.
[citation needed] Problems related to 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency can be triggered by periods of fasting or by illnesses such as viral infections.
[citation needed] This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means two copies of the gene in each cell are altered.