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Your search term(s) "Hypothyroidism" returned 45 results.

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Acromegaly. Bethesda, MD: National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service. 2008. 10 p.

This fact sheet, from the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service (NEMDIS), describes acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that results from too much growth hormone (GH) in the body. Usually, the excess GH comes from benign, or noncancerous, tumors on the pituitary gland. The fact sheet is written in a question-and-answer format and covers the causes of acromegaly, the symptoms of this disorder, pituitary and nonpituitary tumors, the incidence of acromegaly, diagnostic tests used to confirm the condition, and treatment options, including surgical removal of the tumor, medical therapy, and radiation therapy of the pituitary. Common features of acromegaly include abnormal growth of the hands and feet; bone growth in the face that leads to a protruding lower jaw and brow and an enlarged nasal bone; joint aches; thick, coarse, oily skin; and enlarged lips, nose, and tongue. Acromegaly can cause sleep apnea, fatigue and weakness, headaches, impaired vision, menstrual abnormalities in women, and erectile dysfunction in men. Acromegaly is diagnosed through a blood test. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pituitary is then used to locate and detect the size of the tumor causing GH overproduction. The fact sheet concludes with a list of three resource organizations through which readers can get more information and a brief description of the activities of the NEMDIS. 1 figure. 9 references.

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Hypothyroidism FAQ. Falls Church, VA: American Thyroid Association. 2008. 1 p.

This fact sheet outlines the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of hypothyroidism, a condition that occurs when the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone. Symptoms can include feeling tired, depressed, sluggish, or cold; having dry skin and hair; being constipated; experiencing muscle cramps; gaining weight; or, for women, having a heavier menstrual flow. Some patients have a goiter, a swelling in the front of the neck, due to thyroid enlargement. In the United States, most hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a condition in which the patient’s immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, a physical examination, and laboratory tests that measure the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine, and antithyroid antibodies. Treatment usually consists of a daily oral dosage of synthetic thyroxine. The fact sheet concludes by recommending regular annual follow-up by a health care provider to check hormone levels and make sure the drug therapy dosage is correct. Readers are referred to the American Thyroid Association website at www.thyroid.org for more information. 3 references.

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Hypothyroidism. Bethesda, MD: National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service. 2008. 8 p.

This fact sheet, from the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service (NEMDIS), describes hypothyroidism, a disorder that results when the thyroid gland produces less thyroid hormone than the body needs. The fact sheet is written in a question-and-answer format and covers the anatomy and function of the thyroid, the causes of hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s disease, thyroiditis, congenital hypothyroidism, surgical removal of the thyroid, radiation treatment of the thyroid, medications that can lead to hypothyroidism, the symptoms of hypothyroidism, who is at risk for developing hypothyroidism, diagnostic tests to confirm the presence of thyroid disease, the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test, pregnancy and hypothyroidism, and how hypothyroidism is treated. Hypothyroidism is most often caused by Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder, and usually affects women. Some symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, impaired fertility, and depression. Hypothyroidism is easily treated with synthetic thyroid hormone. The fact sheet concludes with a list of five resource organizations through which readers can get more information and a brief description of the activities of the NEMDIS. 1 figure.

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Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease. Bethesda, MD: National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service. 2008. 8 p.

This fact sheet, from the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service (NEMDIS), describes pregnancy and thyroid disease. Thyroid disease is a disorder that results when the thyroid gland produces more or less thyroid hormone than the body needs. Too much thyroid hormone is called hyperthyroidism or Graves’ disease; too little thyroid hormone is called hypothyroidism. The fact sheet is written in a question-and-answer format and covers the anatomy and function of the thyroid, how pregnancy normally affects thyroid function, the causes of hyperthyroidism in pregnancy, how hyperthyroidism can affect the mother and baby, how hyperthyroidism in pregnancy is diagnosed, how hyperthyroidism is treated during pregnancy, the causes of hypothyroidism in pregnancy, how hypothyroidism can affect the mother and baby, how hypothyroidism in pregnancy is diagnosed, how hypothyroidism is treated during pregnancy, and postpartum thyroiditis. If uncontrolled during pregnancy, hyperthyroidism can be dangerous to the mother and cause health problems such as congestive heart failure and poor weight gain in the baby. Hypothyroidism during pregnancy also threatens the mother’s health and can lead to developmental disabilities in the baby. Hypothyroidism in pregnancy is safely and easily treated with synthetic thyroid hormone. The fact sheet concludes with a list of six resource organizations through which readers can get more information and a brief description of the activities of the NEMDIS. 1 figure.

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Thyroid Medications. Rockville, MD: Food and Drug Administration. 2008. 2 p.

This fact sheet answers common questions about thyroid medications and thyroid dysfunction. Located in the lower front part of the neck, the thyroid gland makes hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism, or how the body uses energy. The author outlines how thyroid dysfunction can affect the body and then discusses medications used to treat hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, how to know if the correct dosage of medication is being used, the differences between generic and name brand thyroid medications, proper medication storage and administration, and the actions the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken to improve the quality of levothyroxine sodium products. Readers are encouraged to work closely with their health care providers to ensure these medications are taken appropriately and working effectively. 3 references.

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Alopecia Universalis Following Interferon Alfa-2b And Ribavirin Treatment for Hepatitis C. Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 3(8): 644-647. August 2007.

There are many cutaneous side effects associated with the use of combination pegylated interferon alfa-2b (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy, which are used to treat hepatitis C. The cutaneous side effects commonly include local reactions at the injection site and development of worsening lichen planus, psoriasis, and vitiligo. This article describes a case report of alopecia universalis (AU) following hepatitis C treatment with PEG-IFN and RBV. The case patient was a 45-year-old Caucasian woman with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) whose past medical history was significant only for hypothyroidism and whose physical examination was unremarkable before starting treatment with PEG-IFN/RBV. After 12 weeks of treatment, her hepatitis C virus RNA level was undetectable and her treatment course was rather typical, although she developed mild anemia. At 45 weeks, the patient reported a significant amount of hair loss from her scalp, which progressed to include her eyebrows and hair on her upper and lower extremities, followed by hair loss in axillary and pubic areas at the end of treatment at 48 weeks. A dermatologist who evaluated the patient diagnosed her condition as AU, confirmed by skin biopsy that showed multiple hair bulbs surrounded and focally infiltrated by a chronic inflammatory cell reaction. Even 1 year after therapy discontinuation, there was no hair regrowth in this patient. The authors briefly discuss the pathogenesis and etiology of AU, noting that their patient started to have hair regrowth after 1 year, without specific treatment for her AU. They conclude that, considering the benign and reversible nature of AU associated with PEG-IFN/RBV treatment, patients should not be discouraged to initiate or complete their treatment for CHC. Appended to the article is a commentary written by Taliani and Biliotti; they echo the conclusions reached by the reporting authors. 32 references.

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Endocrine Autoimmunity. IN: Gardner, D.; Shoback, D., eds. Greenspan’s Basic and Clinical Endocrinology. 8th ed. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill. 2007. pp 59-79.

This chapter about endocrine autoimmunity is from a textbook about endocrinology that describes the scientific principles and clinical management of patients with endocrine-related diseases and disorders. The author reviews basic immunologic concepts as they apply to clinical autoimmune endocrine diseases as sole entities and as polyglandular failure syndromes. Topics include basic immune components and mechanisms, autoimmunity is multifactorial, single gland autoimmune syndromes, and autoimmune polyglandular syndromes. The most common autoimmune endocrine diseases are autoimmune thyroid disease, including hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s disease) and hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease), and type 1 diabetes. The chapter includes numerous black-and-white photographs and illustrations; a list of abbreviations is provided. 7 figures. 3 tables. 12 references.

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Endocrine Hypertension. IN: Gardner, D.; Shoback, D., eds. Greenspan’s Basic and Clinical Endocrinology. 8th ed. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill. 2007. pp 396-420.

This chapter about endocrine hypertension is from a textbook about endocrinology that describes the scientific principles and clinical management of patients with endocrine-related diseases and disorders. The authors note that although the kidney is not an endocrine organ per se, its role as both the origin of and target tissue for the hormones that comprise the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system make hypertensive disorders of kidney origin an appropriate subject for a chapter on endocrine hypertension. Hypertension can be a prominent feature of other endocrine disorders, including acromegaly, thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, and hyperparathyroidism, but these are discussed elsewhere in the text. In this chapter, the authors discuss the synthesis, metabolism, and action of mineralocorticoid hormones; the pathogenesis of mineralocorticoid hypertension; aldosterone and the heart; primary aldosteronism; syndromes due to excess deoxycorticosterone production; Cushing’s syndrome; pseudohyperaldosteronism; hypertension of renal origin; the renin-angiotensin system and hypertension; and other hormone systems and hypertension, including insulin, the natriuretic peptides, nitric oxide, endothelin, the kallikrein-kinin system, and the sympathetic nervous system. The chapter includes numerous black-and-white photographs and illustrations; a list of abbreviations is provided. 11 figures. 1 table. 15 references.

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Endocrinology of Pregnancy. IN: Gardner, D.; Shoback, D., eds. Greenspan’s Basic and Clinical Endocrinology. 8th ed. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill. 2007. pp 641-660.

This chapter about the endocrinology of pregnancy is from a textbook about endocrinology that describes the scientific principles and clinical management of patients with endocrine-related diseases and disorders. The authors stress that the endocrine changes associated with pregnancy are adaptive, allowing the mother to nurture the developing fetus. Maternal reserves are usually adequate; however, occasionally, as in the case of gestational diabetes or hypertensive disease of pregnancy, a woman may develop overt signs of disease as a direct result of pregnancy. Topics discussed include conception and implantation, the fetal-placental-decidual unit, polypeptide hormones, steroid hormones, maternal adaptation to pregnancy, fetal endocrinology, endocrine control of parturition, endocrinology of the puerperium, endocrine disorders and pregnancy pituitary disorders, pregnancy and breast cancer, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, hyperthyroidism in pregnancy, and hypothyroidism in pregnancy. A list of abbreviations is provided. 2 figures. 1 table. 29 references.

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Hashimoto’s Disease Chevy Chase, MD: Hormone Foundation. 2007. 1 p.

This brief fact sheet provides an overview of Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disease that causes the thyroid gland to enlarge and results in hypothyroidism. Written in nontechnical language, the fact sheet answers common questions about Hashimoto’s disease, covering topics including the anatomy and function of the thyroid gland, possible symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease, risks associated with untreated Hashimoto’s disease, diagnostic tests used to confirm the condition, and the role of the endocrinologist. Readers are referred to the Hormone Foundation (www.hormone.org or 1–800–HORMONE) for more information. The fact sheet is also available in Spanish. 1 figure.

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