RxMed: Illness Information

Valuable information for over 200 common illnesses

General Illness Information

Common Name:

Hyperthyroidism

Medical Term:

Hyperthyroidism

Description:

Excessive levels of thyroid hormone - usually due to over-activity of the thyroid gland.

This hormone regulates all body functions, and therefore over-production of thyroid hormone will have widespread effect in the body.

Types of hyperthyroidism include:

· Graves' disease (GD) - the most common form - an autoimmune disease.

· Toxic multinodular goiter - occurs late in life. Nodules are insidious and almost never malignant.

· Toxic uninodular goiter - solitary nodule with autonomous function. Almost always benign.

· Other causes are rare and include pituitary tumors, trophoblastic tumors, and iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, especially from the cardiac drug amiodarone

Causes:

Graves' disease - autoimmune disease

Toxic multinodular goiter - iodine deprivation followed by iodine replacement.

Toxic uninodular goiter - unknown

Prevention:

Not known

Signs & Symptoms

Nervousness

Increased sweating

Heat intolerance

Palpitations

Shortness of breath

Fatigue and weakness

Weight loss

Increased appetite

Exophthalmos (protruding eyes)

Goiter

Tremor

Warm and moist skin

Emotional changes

Hair loss

Risk Factors

Positive family history

Female sex

Other autoimmune disorders

Iodide repletion after iodide deprivation

Diagnosis & Treatment

Diagnostic work-up includes complete history and physical examination, blood tests to check level of thyroid hormones and other associated hormone levels and sometimes radioactive iodine (I131) uptake studies (i.e. measuring thyroid activity by doing a thyroid test).

General Measures:

Appropriate treatment will depend on the size of the goiter, the causes, your age, and a variety of other factors.

Rarely, subtotal thyroidectomy is required.

Medications:
	Antithyroid drugs, therapeutic radioiodine, beta blockers for tachycardia and tremor

Activity:
No restrictions

Diet:
	No restrictions. Maintain adequate caloric intake, because of the high metabolism caused by excess thyroid.

Possible Complications :

Hypoparathyroidism, recurrent laryngeal nerve damage, and hypothyroidism with subtotal thyroidectomy

Development of hypothyroidism after radioiodine treatment

Visual loss or diplopia due to severe ophthalmopathy

Localized pretibial myxedema at any time

Cardiac failure in the elderly with underlying heart disease

Muscle wasting; proximal muscle weakness

Prognosis

Good, with proper diagnosis and treatment.