| 1 |
SYMPTOMS |
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ADDITIONAL PATIENT RESOURCES
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| What
are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism refers to any condition in which the body
has too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms may include weight loss,
nervousness, irritability, increased perspiration, a racing heart,
hand tremors, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, increased bowel movements,
fine brittle hair, and muscular weakness—especially in the
upper arms and thighs. In Graves’ disease, a bulging of one
or both eyes may occur. |
| 2 |
CAUSES |
| What
causes hyperthyroidism?
The most common cause is Graves’ disease (see Graves’
Disease brochure). Another cause is one or more overactive
nodules or lumps in the thyroid, a condition known as toxic
nodular or multinodular goiter. Finally, you may temporarily
have hyperthyroid symptoms if you have thyroiditis, which
causes the gland to leak thyroid hormone, or if you take too much
thyroid hormone in tablet form. |
| 3 |
DIAGNOSIS |
| How is the diagnosis
made?
A physical examination and laboratory tests that measure the amount
of thyroid hormone (thyroxine, or T4, and triiodothyronine, or T3)
and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood are necessary.
Your doctor may choose to obtain a picture of your thyroid (a thyroid
scan). Measurement of antibodies in the blood that attack the
thyroid (antithyroid antibodies) may help in diagnosing the cause
of hyperthyroidism. |
| 4 |
TREATMENT |
| How
is hyperthyroidism treated?
Therapy for hyperthyroidism is generally safe and effective, but
no one treatment is best for all patients with hyperthyroidism.
- Antithyroid drugs. Methimazole (Tapazole®) or propylthiouracil
(PTU) block the thyroid gland’s ability to make new thyroid
hormone. These drugs allow prompt control of hyperthyroidism and
do not cause permanent damage to the thyroid gland. Allergic reactions
occur in about 5% of patients. Rarely (1 in 500 patients), a serious
reaction (agranulocytosis) may lower your resistance to infection.
If you develop a fever or sore throat while on an antithyroid
drug, you should immediately stop taking the drug and have a white
blood cell count that day.
- Radioactive iodine. Radioiodine, which is administered by mouth,
is quickly taken up by overactive thyroid cells and destroys them.
The radioiodine that is not taken up by the thyroid cells disappears
from the body within days. Radioiodine often takes several weeks
to several months to control hyperthyroidism (during which time
antithyroid drug treatment may be used to control hyperthyroid
symptoms), and occasionally additional radioiodine treatments
may be necessary. This is the most common therapy for hyperthyroidism
in the United States.
- Surgery. Before surgery an antithyroid drug or a beta-blocking
drug is taken to control your hyperthyroidism. Major complications
of thyroid surgery occur in less than 1% of patients operated
on by an experienced thyroid surgeon. During surgery, most of
the thyroid gland is removed to control the hyperthyroidism. Damage
to the parathyroid glands that control your body’s calcium
levels and damage to the nerves that control your vocal cords,
which would cause you to have a hoarse voice, are rare.
- Beta-blockers. These drugs may be helpful in reducing symptoms
of a racing heart, the shakes, and nervousness, even though they
do not change the high levels of thyroid hormone in your blood.
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| Hyperthyroidism
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