Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism (or "overactive thyroid gland") is the clinical syndrome caused by an excess of circulating free thyroxine (T4) or free triiodothyronine (T3), or both. more...

Home
Diseases
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
Hairy cell leukemia
Hallermann Streiff syndrome
Hallux valgus
Hantavirosis
Hantavirus pulmonary...
HARD syndrome
Harlequin type ichthyosis
Harpaxophobia
Hartnup disease
Hashimoto's thyroiditis
Hearing impairment
Hearing loss
Heart block
Heavy metal poisoning
Heliophobia
HELLP syndrome
Helminthiasis
Hemangioendothelioma
Hemangioma
Hemangiopericytoma
Hemifacial microsomia
Hemiplegia
Hemoglobinopathy
Hemoglobinuria
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome
Hemophilia A
Hemophobia
Hemorrhagic fever
Hemothorax
Hepatic encephalopathy
Hepatitis
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis D
Hepatoblastoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatorenal syndrome
Hereditary amyloidosis
Hereditary angioedema
Hereditary ataxia
Hereditary ceroid...
Hereditary coproporphyria
Hereditary elliptocytosis
Hereditary fructose...
Hereditary hemochromatosis
Hereditary hemorrhagic...
Hereditary...
Hereditary spastic...
Hereditary spherocytosis
Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome
Hermaphroditism
Herpangina
Herpes zoster
Herpes zoster oticus
Herpetophobia
Heterophobia
Hiccups
Hidradenitis suppurativa
HIDS
Hip dysplasia
Hirschsprung's disease
Histoplasmosis
Hodgkin lymphoma
Hodgkin's disease
Hodophobia
Holocarboxylase...
Holoprosencephaly
Homocystinuria
Horner's syndrome
Horseshoe kidney
Howell-Evans syndrome
Human parvovirus B19...
Hunter syndrome
Huntington's disease
Hurler syndrome
Hutchinson Gilford...
Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome
Hydatidiform mole
Hydatidosis
Hydranencephaly
Hydrocephalus
Hydronephrosis
Hydrophobia
Hydrops fetalis
Hymenolepiasis
Hyperaldosteronism
Hyperammonemia
Hyperandrogenism
Hyperbilirubinemia
Hypercalcemia
Hypercholesterolemia
Hyperchylomicronemia
Hypereosinophilic syndrome
Hyperhidrosis
Hyperimmunoglobinemia D...
Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemic periodic...
Hyperlipoproteinemia
Hyperlipoproteinemia type I
Hyperlipoproteinemia type II
Hyperlipoproteinemia type...
Hyperlipoproteinemia type IV
Hyperlipoproteinemia type V
Hyperlysinemia
Hyperparathyroidism
Hyperprolactinemia
Hyperreflexia
Hypertension
Hypertensive retinopathy
Hyperthermia
Hyperthyroidism
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypoaldosteronism
Hypocalcemia
Hypochondrogenesis
Hypochondroplasia
Hypoglycemia
Hypogonadism
Hypokalemia
Hypokalemic periodic...
Hypoparathyroidism
Hypophosphatasia
Hypopituitarism
Hypoplastic left heart...
Hypoprothrombinemia
Hypothalamic dysfunction
Hypothermia
Hypothyroidism
Hypoxia
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Medicines

Causes

Major causes in humans are:

  • Graves' disease (the most common etiology with 70-80%)
  • Toxic thyroid adenoma
  • Toxic multinodular goitre

Other causes of hyperthyroxinemia (high blood levels of thyroid hormones) are not to be confused with true hyperthyroidism and include subacute and other forms of thyroiditis (inflammation). Thyrotoxicosis (symptoms caused by hyperthyroxinemia) can occur in both hyperthyroidism and thyroiditis. When it causes acutely increased metabolism, it is sometimes called "thyroid storm".

Signs and symptoms

Major clinical features in humans are weight loss (often accompanied by a ravenous appetite), fatigue, weakness, hyperactivity, irritability, apathy, depression, polyuria, and sweating. Additionally, patients may present with a variety of symptoms such as palpitations and arrhythmias (notably atrial fibrillation), dyspnea, infertility, loss of libido, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In the elderly, these classical symptoms may not be present and they may present only with fatigue and weight loss leading to apathetic hyperthyroidism

Neurological manifestations are tremor, chorea, myopathy, and periodic paralysis. Stroke of cardioembolic origin due to coexisting atrial fibrillation may be mentioned as one of the most serious complications of hyperthyroidism.

As to other autoimmune disorders related with thyrotoxicosis, an association between thyroid disease and myasthenia gravis has been well recognised. The thyroid disease, in this condition, is often an autoimmune one and approximately 5% of patients with myasthenia gravis also have hyperthyroidism. Myasthenia gravis rarely improves after thyroid treatment and relation between two entities is yet unknown. Some very rare neurological manifestations that are reported to be dubiously associated with thyrotoxicosis are pseudotumor cerebri, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and a Guillain-Barré-like syndrome.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis is suspected through blood tests, by measuring the level of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) in the blood. If TSH is low, there is likely to be increased production of T4 and/or T3. Measuring specific antibodies, such as anti-TSH-receptor antibodies in Graves' disease, may contribute to the diagnosis. In all patients with hyperthyroxinemia, scintigraphy is required in order to distinguish true hyperthyroidism from thyroiditis.

Treatment

The major and generally accepted modalities for treatment of hyperthyroidism in humans are:

Surgery

Surgery (to remove the whole thyroid or a part of it) is not extensively used because most common forms of hyperthyroidism are quite effectively treated by the radioactive iodine method. However, some Graves' disease patients who cannot tolerate medicines for one reason or another or patients who refuse radioiodine opt for surgical intervention. The procedure is relatively safe - some surgeons are even treating partial thyroidectomy on an out-patient basis.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Treating hyperthyroidism
From American Family Physician, 8/15/05

What is hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism (say: hi-per-THI-royd-iz-um) is when you have an overactive thyroid. The thyroid is a gland in your neck (see the figure). It makes a hormone that helps your body's metabolism (the way your body uses food and energy). An overactive thyroid can cause weight loss, nervous feelings, shakiness, a fast heartbeat, and other problems. If hyperthyroidism is not treated, it can hurt your bones and heart and cause other health problems.

[FIGURE OMITTED]

How is hyperthyroidism treated?

The best treatment for hyperthyroidism depends on the cause of your hyperthyroidism, your age, the size of your thyroid gland, and your general health. You and your doctor can choose the best treatment for you.

* Beta blockers. Medicines called beta blockers can help if you have the shakes or a fast heartbeat. Beta blockers may be the only medicine you need if you have thyroiditis (say: thi-royd-EYE-tis) because this disease usually goes away on its own. You may not be able to take a beta blocker if you have heart or lung problems.

* Radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy is the most common treatment for hyperthyroidism. It works well and is safe. It will not make you more likely to get cancer or stop you from having children. But you should not use RAI if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. You should wait to get pregnant for six months after the treatment. If you are taking any medicine, tell your doctor right away because some medicines must be stopped before you have RAI. For about three days after treatment, you should double flush the toilet and wash your hands a lot. This will stop radiation in your body from affecting others. You also should not have close contact with young children and pregnant women during this time.

* Antithyroid drugs. Antithyroid drugs (ATDs) stop the thyroid gland from making hormones. ATDs are used in children, pregnant women, and people who do not want RAI therapy. Two ATDs available in this country are methimazole (say: meth-IM-ah-zole) (brand name: Tapazole) and propylthiouracil (say: pro-pil-thy-o-YOOR-a-sil). Methimazole is used most often because it is easier to take and causes fewer side effects. Propylthiouracil is safer in pregnancy and during breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor right away if you get a bad sore throat, a high fever, or yellowing of the skin when taking an ATD. ATDs work for most people and are less likely to cause an underactive thyroid gland than RAI therapy. However, there is a chance that your hyperthyroidism will return after the medicine is stopped, especially if you smoke or have a very large thyroid gland.

* Surgery. Surgery may be an option if you have a very large thyroid gland that is pressing on other parts of your neck or if you are pregnant and cannot use ATDs. Surgery costs more and is riskier than the other treatments. Surgery usually cures hyperthyroidism but causes an underactive gland in some patients.

How long until I am cured?

Your doctor will need to check your thyroid regularly for the rest of your life to be sure your hyperthyroidism does not come back. If you get an underactive thyroid gland after treatment, and are taking thyroid hormone, you still need to be watched closely.

COPYRIGHT 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Return to Hyperthyroidism
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay