Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism

When asked to choose a topic to research, I immediately wanted to find out more about Hyperthyroidism. The reason I am interested in this is because it is a condition that affects myself and others in my family. I wanted to find out more about who is typically affected, symptoms, and treatments.

Hyperthyroidism effects approximately 1% of the population. (Hyperthyroidism, 2015) The thyroid is a gland, located just above the collar bone in the anterior of the neck. (Elaine N. Marieb, 2007) It is a part of the endocrine system. For most people, you would never really be aware that it is even there. For someone with Hyperthyroidism it may be enlarged.

Graves’ disease is the most common cause of Hyperthyroidism. This is an auto immune disorder that causes the white blood cells to mistakenly attack the thyroid gland. It is thought to be hereditary. It is often marked by the bulging of the eyes. Other causes can be pregnancy or an overconsumption of iodine in the diet.

In Hyperthyroidism, the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 are overproduced, causing the thyroid to become overactive.

Since the thyroid is responsible for regulating elements of almost every other system of

the body, there can be a vast variety of symptoms. These include weight loss, fatigue, weakness, decreased appetite, increased thirst, insomnia, increased sweating, high blood pressure, hand tremors, anxiety, mood swings, irregular menstrual cycles and many more.

There are several treatment options for Hyperthyroidism. Medication, such as Methimazole or Propylthiouracil are common medications that disrupt the thyroid production, thus making the levels normal.

If results are not stabilized a more aggressive treatment may be necessary. Radio- active iodine may be ingested to kill of part of the thyroid gland. The endocrinologist must make an educated guess based on lab results to know the proper amount. The drawback of this...