Hyperthyroidism - Research Paper Example

Hyperthyroidism Description symptoms, effects, medications available and statistics. Abstract Hyperthyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland overproduces the thyroid hormone, leading to a speeding up of the body’s metabolism. This in turn leads to increased heart and breathing rate, fatigue, irritability and weight loss. The most common form of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ Disease - an autoimmune disorder, although there are other forms each with its own causes and effects. However, every form of hyperthyroidism is characterized by increased levels of the thyroid hormone in the blood.The disease is diagnosed through blood tests that measure the thyroid hormone levels in the blood. It can be treated in a variety of ways, with the doctor deciding the best method of treatment after studying the age, history and cause of the disease of individual patients . The disease is more common in women than in men and rarely affects children below 15 years of age.It is estimated that about 1% of the US population has hyperthyroidism. It is most often seen in elderly people who are over 60 years of age in the form of thyroid nodules that are lumps in the thyroid gland. The condition is treated with anti-thyroid drugs, surgery, or radioactive iodine. People with hyperthyroidism can live normal, active lives with regular monitoring and medical care. The human endocrine system is made up of glands that secrete hormones that are released into the bloodstream and maintain the body’s metabolism.The endocrine glands are the main hormone producing glands in the human body. The thyroid gland in the neck is one of the glands of the endocrine system, the pituitary gland in the brain is another. The pituitary gland which is about the size of a pea, is located at the base of the brain. It is often referred to as the master gland because it controls several glands in the endocrine system. The thyroid gland, a small bow or butterfly shaped endocrine gland situated in the lower part of the human neck, is one of the glands controlled by the pituitary gland. The gland has two lobes that lie on either side of the windpipe. The thyroid hormone produced by this gland is important because it helps in maintaining the body’s normal metabolism. To produce the thyroid hormone, the gland requires iodine which it obtains from food and water ingested by the body. Iodine is a very important component of the thyroid hormone. When the thyroid gland produces too much of the thyroid hormone, it results in a condition known as Hyperthyroidism commonly known as overactive thyroid. It is sometimes called thyrotoxicosis which is the technical term for too much thyroid hormone in the blood. The term hyperthyroidism refers to a group of disorders that are associated with increased levels of thyroid hormone in the blood. “Hyperthyroidism affects 2.5 million people in the United States, but could affect up to 4.5 million people because more than half of the people with thyroid disease don't know they have it. Although it occurs at all ages, hyperthyroidism is most likely to occur after the age of 15.”(Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative medicine 2005) The term hyperthyroidism is used to refer to diseases that are caused due to excessive production of the hormones produced in the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland produces two hormones - One containing 4 units of iodine called Thyroxin (T4) and the other called triiodothyronine (T3) which contains three units of iodine. These two hormones regulate the body's metabolic rate by helping to form protein ribonucleic acid (RNA) and increasing oxygen absorption in every cell. An increase in metabolic activity, is how cells respond to the thyroid hormone. Metabolic activity, or metabolism, refers to the processes in the body that produce energy. The chemical substances necessary for cells to grow, divide, to form new cells, and perform other vital functions are all processes included under the term metabolism . Metabolism controls the rate at which cells burn fuels from food to produce energy. Increase in the level of thyroid hormones in the body speeds up the chemical reactions that occur in the body. The production and release of these hormones is in turn, controlled by thyrotropin the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), that is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. When the thyroid gland has secreted adequate amounts of thyroid hormones in the blood, the pituitary gland senses that adequate amounts of the hormones are in the blood and adjusts the release of thyrotropin so that the gland does not release excess thyroid hormones.If these are produced in excess despite the level of TSH being adjusted, hyperthyroidism occurs. The excessive amount of thyroid hormones in the blood increases the body's metabolism, creating both mental and physical symptoms. Since the thyroid hormone stimulates cells, hyperthyroidism is characterized by increased metabolic activity like increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, sweating, sharpening of mental alertness and thinking and increase in efficiency of skeletal muscle. Hand tremors, weight loss despite increased appetite, nervousness or irritability and tiredness, increased bowel movements, and menstrual problems in women are other symptoms of hyperthyroidism. According to medical specialists, “The prevalence of hyperthyroidism in community-based studies has been estimated at 2 percent for women and 0.2 percent for men.As many as 15 percent of cases of hyperthyroidism occur in patients older than 60 years.” (Reid & Wheeler 2005) Graves’ disease, named after Robert J Graves, is the most common form of hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease is also known as Basedow’s disease after Karl Von Basedow in Europe. “Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of all cases” ( Reid & Wheeler 2005) Graves’ disease is caused by an autoimmune disorder . Other forms of hyperthyroidism are Nodular thyroid disease, thyroiditis or inflammation of the thyroid gland, Plummer’s disease or Toxic Nodular Goiter, Uncommon causes include hormone producing tumors of the pituitary gland or ovary and iodine-induced hyperthyroidism from iodine-containing drugs. Women are five to 10 times more likely than men to develop hyperthyroidism. The American Thyroid Association recommends that adults, particularly women, have a blood test to detect thyroid problems every 5 years starting at age 35.(National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service) Graves’ disease also known as diffuse toxic goiter, is an autoimmune disease. Our body’s immune system produces antibodies to ward off attacks by foreign bodies or disease germs and other organisms. When the anti bodies produced in the body mistake the body’s own healthy cells for invaders and begin to attack them, it is known as an autoimmune disease. In Graves’ Disease, thyroid cells are continually stimulated to produce and release thyroid hormone, even after blood levels are already high. Graves’ disease is more common in women than in men and symptoms usually occur in the age group of people between 20 and 40 years of age. There is a form of hyperthyroidism called neonatal Graves’ disease that affects children born of mothers with Graves’ disease. Sometimes the condition leads to enlargement of the thyroid gland which becomes a visible swelling in the neck called a goiter. Graves’ disease can sometimes also lead to eye and skin problems. Eye problems related to Graves’ disease are known as hyperthyroid eye disease but affect only about 30% of patients. Protruding eyes are a characteristic of hyperthyroid eye disease patients. There is no relation between this eye ailment and the severity of hyperthyroidism in the patient, however there is increased risk of eye infections and visual problems. People with increased risk of such eye problems are those whose symptoms are either left untreated or the hormone levels in the blood are not controlled despite treatment. Smokers too are at increased risk. Common symptoms of hyperthyroid eye disease are pain, increase in tearing, double or blurred vision increased sensitivity to light and protrusion of eyes. The most common skin problem associated with Graves’ disease is pretibial myxedema. Swollen patches of skin in front of the lower legs (shins) that are itchy are characteristic of this condition. Such symptoms are almost never found in people who do not suffer from Graves’ disease. Nodular thyroid disease also known as Plummer’s disease or Toxic Nodular Goiter is the much less common form of hyperthyroidism.There are some distinct differences between nodular thyroid disease and Graves’ disease. Nodular thyroid disease usually affects older people and there are no known causes for the disease. The disease does not affect the entire gland and only affects patches of it. Unlike Graves’ disease,there are no other related diseases affecting other parts of the body. As the disease progresses lumps may be felt on the thyroid and scanning shows abnormal thyroid cells among normal ones. This type of hyperthyroidism is often misdiagnosed and sometimes not diagnosed at all because it affects elderly people and the symptoms are misread due to their age. Thyroiditis, another form of hyperthyroidism is caused not due to over production of the thyroid hormone but due to a leakage of the hormone stored in an inflamed thyroid gland that causes increase of the levels of the hormone in the bloodstream. Subacute thyroiditis is a painful inflammation of the thyroid gland. Doctors opinions vary regarding the cause of this form of hyperthyroidism, but most are of the opinion that it is usually the result of an infection and resolves itself within a given time frame. Some women suffer from postpartum thyroiditis in the first few months after child birth. It is believed that this is an autoimmune condition and lasts for only a few months but is likely to recur after future child births too. “ Postpartum thyroiditis can occur in up to 5 to 10 percent of women in the first three to six months after delivery” (Reid & Wheeler 2005) There is no known prevention for Graves’ disease. However with timely diagnosis and treatment, the condition can be managed by decreasing the amount of thyroid hormone so that excess hormone does not enter the bloodstream. People with hyperthyroidism can live normal, active lives with regular monitoring and medical care. However doctors warn that “thyroid conditions, left untreated, can cause serious health problems and sometimes death. Some studies show that up to 50% of depression is caused by an undiagnosed thyroid condition.”(Thyroid Statistics & Facts National Thyroid Institute 2011) There are quite a few forms of therapy available for the treatment of hyperthyroidism. These include anti-thyroid drugs that reduce the production of the thyroid hormone and in some cases succeed in curing the disease. Beta blockers are sometimes used to reduce symptoms like rapid heart rate and anxiety that might cause complications. Radioactive iodine also known as radioiodine, is taken to reduce the production of the thyroid hormone. Surgery is sometimes prescribed by doctors to remove the over active thyroid gland. This too has been known to cure the disease in some cases. It is important for patients to keep a check on their T3, T4 and TSH levels through regular blood tests so as to enable doctors to prescribe adequate dosages of drugs used in treatment. Any treatment aims at bringing thyroid hormone levels down to normal levels so as to prevent complications. However, treatment depends on each individual patient. A doctor will take into consideration, age, allergies to medications, severity of and cause of hyperthyroidism, of the patient as well as other complications like heart disease, pregnancy etc. while prescribing medication. Alternative treatments for hyperthyroidism include nutritional therapy, herbal therapy and homeopathy. “Consumption of certain foods such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, turnips, peaches, and pears can help naturally suppress thyroid hormone production. Dairy products and any stimulants such as tea, coffee, soda, and other caffeinated drinks should be avoided. Under the supervision of a trained physician, high dosages of certain vitamin/mineral combinations can help alleviate hyperthyroidism.Other alternative treatments that may help relieve hyperthyroidism symptoms include traditional Chinese medicine and Western herbal medicine. Stress reduction techniques such as meditation also may prove beneficial.” (Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative medicine 2005) References “Thyroid Statistics & Facts” National Thyroid Institute 2011 Retrieved May 12 2011 from National Thyroid Institute http://www.nationalthyroidinstitute.org/thyroid-statistics/ Tran, Mai; Odle, Teresa. "Hyperthyroidism." Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. 2005. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3435100410.html Reid J.R. & Wheeler S.F. Hyperthyroidism Diagnosis & Treatment Am Fam Physician. 2005 Aug 15;72(4):623-630. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0815/p623.html May 14 2011 National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service Information on Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases “Who is likely to develop Hyperthyroidism” A service of the National Institute of Diabetic and Digestive and Kidney diseases (NIDDK ) NIH Retrieved from http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/Hyperthyroidism/index.htm#development May 14 2011 Read More