What is Hypothyroidism?

The most common thyroid disorder is called hypothyroidism. It is described as a condition in which the thyroid gland becomes underactive and does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism is most common in women who are in their middle ages. Although less common, hypothyroidism does occur in children. Neonatal hypothyroidism is a dangerous condition in which a pregnant woman suffers from hypothyroidism. It can lead to problems with the un-born fetus such as mental retardation, jaundice, and growth problems. Prompt treatment, however, can minimize these problems during a pregnancy.

Many patients report that before being diagnosed with hypothyroidism, they suffered from fatigue and weight gain. After treatment, energy and other tedious symptoms disappeared. One patient reports "I have more energy and my memory isn't hazy anymore. I actually feel like getting off of the couch."

Causes of Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder in which the antibodies attack and gradually destroy the thyroid gland. In many countries, the lack of iodine in people's diets can lead to hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland requires iodine to operate correctly. Severe iodine deficiency is not seen in the U.S., Japan and some countries in Europe where there is a sufficient supply of iodine in water and food.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

The most common symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue, weight gain, sleepiness, depression, constipation, an enlarged thyroid, intolerance to cold, hoarse voice and forgetfulness.

Treatment for Hypothyroidism

The treatment for hypothyroidism requires the replacement of thyroid hormones with medication. The easiest method of which to accomplish involves a synthetic form of T4 that is taken in pill form. T4, also called thyroxin, is the thyroid storage hormone. Doses are adjusted and prescribed by a health care professional.

It is important to understand that the failure of the thyroid gland in hypothyroid patients is a gradual process; therefore, a dose that is appropriate for a patient one year may subsequently be too low the following year.

Consult your Doctor

Preventive measures include a simple blood test called the thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH test. This will give your health care professional the data he/she needs to ward off the disease before its onset.

After treatment has begun for hypothyroid patients, it is important that the patient have long-term follow up treatment so that thyroid hormone and TSH levels can be re-checked. Hypothyroidism is a relatively easy illness to treat and keep under control, and in most cases, the medicine does not have any negative side effects.

Please check back each week for more of the thyroid research news for your health.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter:

The Thyroid-Congestive Heart Failure Link

The human endocrine system is an extremely complicated biological mechanism. The regulation of hormone levels in our bodies can impact virtually every aspect of our physical and mental health, and when things go awry in this system, the consequences can be devastating. Many scientists have argued that current research has only begun to scratch the surface in terms of understanding the full significance of hormones and their health impact in the human body.

Many men and women diagnosed with thyroid disorders often have a deep-seated understanding of the broad impact of these health problems. The spectrum of symptoms and problems that have been linked to thyroid malfunction ranges runs the gamut from anxiety to weight gain -- and includes stops at virtually every letter in the medical dictionary along the way. Indeed, in the eyes of patients dealing with a thyroid diagnosis, it can often seem like there are very few health factors that thyroid problems can't cause.

Out of the full range of associated symptoms and health problems that have been linked to thyroid disorders, one stands out as particularly serious -- congestive heart failure. In recent decades, a number of prominent studies have established correlations between thyroid problems and an increased risk of developing congestive heart failure. This week, we'll take a closer look at the link between thyroid disorders and congestive heart failure, as well as some of the new research that is emerging to offer hope to patients with this dual diagnosis.

What is Congestive Heart Failure?

Although patients diagnosed with hyperthyroidism can experience heart problems, including palpitations and tachycardia, but congestive heart failure has rarely, if ever, been linked to an overactive thyroid gland. On the other hand, a clear and compelling link between hypothyroidism (slow thyroid function) and congestive heart failure has been established in the research literature over the last several decades.

Despite its frightening name, congestive heart failure is a medical term that simply describes a failure of the heart muscle to perform at an optimum level. Patients diagnosed with congestive heart failure have hearts that are weak and do not pump as well as they should. Obviously, congestive heart failure hinders the circulatory system's ability to do its job properly.

But what may not be as clear is the severe health impact that this dysfunction can have. Because of substandard pumping and circulation, patients with congestive heart failure have deficient levels of nutrients and oxygen on the cellular level. As a result, the basic tasks of daily life can feel like a massive undertaking. For many patients with congestive heart failure, quality of life and overall well-being are significantly diminished.

The Link Between Hypothyroidism and Congestive Heart Failure

It is not fully understood how and to what extent hypothyroidism causes congestive heart failure, or whether the heart damage that can result in congestive heart failure plays a role in causing thyroid dysfunction. What is clear, however, is that these two disorders often co-exist.

One leading theory holds that because hypothyroidism can increase cholesterol levels in the blood, this can cause hardening of the arteries. This, in turn, can lead to the valve damage that is often a precursor of congestive heart failure. In addition, it is believed that the lack of thyroid hormone in the blood can impact the heart's ability to beat and pump properly.

Prognosis and Outlook

Congestive heart failure is a serious condition, and as uch, patients who are dually diagnosed with congestive heart failure and hypothyroidism often face a challenging battle to maintain health and quality of life.

However, the prognosis for dually-diagnosed patients is often very good. In fact, when the underlying hypothyroidism is being properly treated, many patients undergo significant improvement -- and in some cases even a reversal -- of congestive heart failure symptoms.

As such, the key to proper management of these disorders is to comply with all prescribed medication regimens, taking care to ensure that thyroid hormone levels remain as stable and consistent as possible. In addition, a healthy diet, frequent periods of rest, minimal sodium intake, and daily low-intensity exercise are all components of successful management of a dual diagnosis of hypothyroidism and congestive heart failure.

If you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and congestive heart failure, consult with your medical team to develop a customized treatment management plan that's tailored to your specific needs. Be sure to check back each week for more thyroid health news!

For Further Reading

• http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/1997/01_97/bales.htm

• http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide-heart-failure

• http://www.heartpoint.com/congheartfailuretellme.html

Is Hypothyroidism Slowing You Down?

The thyroid: A small gland with a big job

Feeling particularly fatigued, sluggish, and out of focus lately? Have you noticed that you’re putting on weight, even though your diet hasn’t really changed? Experiencing depression or other mental health problems? Rather than blaming garden-variety stress and strain as the likely culprits, you may need to check in with an endocrinologist -- an under-functioning thyroid could be causing these symptoms.

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that sits behind the diaphragm, in the lower area of the neck sometimes referred to as the “Adam’s apple.” Typically, the normal thyroid measures about two inches in length. But despite its diminutive size, thyroid dysfunction can result in serious health problems.

The thyroid is a key part of the endocrine system, which creates, distributes, and regulates hormones in the body. Because hormones play such a central role in the body’s ability to function properly and maintain optimal health, even minute changes in the working capacity of one of the endocrine glands can set off a chain of deficiencies, malfunctions, and adverse conditions that reverberate through the entire body.

What is hypothyroidism?

Like the other glands in the endocrine system, the thyroid generates chemical compounds known as hormones, including triiodothyronine and thyroxine, both of which help regulate the body’s metabolism. A person whose thyroid is not producing enough hormones to maintain stability in the metabolism is said to be suffering from hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid’s secretion of triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and other hormones is inadequate. Because these chemicals’ job is to stabilize the metabolism, insufficient hormonal levels can actually cause the metabolism -- and a wide array of bodily processes -- to gradually slow down.

It is believed that nearly 10 million Americans suffer from varying degrees of hypothyroidism, the majority of them being women. Furthermore, many of those afflicted with hypothyroidism may be unaware of their disorder. Called “the great mimicker” by many physicians, hypothyroidism is difficult to diagnose, and its symptoms are often misinterpreted as signs of other illnesses and diseases. 

Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism

One of the reasons why hypothyroidism often evades diagnosis is because the symptoms associated with the condition are so wide-ranging. To further complicate the issue, the exact nature and severity of the presenting symptoms often vary from patient to patient.

Because hypothyroidism causes the metabolism to slow down, many of the symptoms associated with the condition result from a gradual decline in the rate of common bodily functions. The hallmark symptoms of hypothyroidism include:  memory impairment, weight gain, general fatigue and malaise, a feeling of mental fuzziness or “brain fog,” diminished sex drive, increased sensitivity to cold, migraine headaches, slowed reflexes, skin dryness and puffiness, constipation, depression, anxiety, irritability, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, slowed speech, vocal hoarseness, abnormal menstrual cycles, and reproductive difficulties such as infertility.

Individuals with low thyroid functioning may present with any combination of these symptoms, depending on the exact nature and extent of their hormonal deficiency. In mild cases, few detectable symptoms may be present, making a timely and correct diagnosis unlikely.  

Causes and risk factors for hypothyroidism

The endocrine system is complex and delicately calibrated, and even minor or gradual bodily changes over time can cause dysfunctions. Doctors often have difficulty discerning the precise cause of hypothyroidism in some patients because the onset of the condition may occur gradually over an extended period of time.

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is actually a disease known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This disease prompts the body’s immune system to fight the thyroid gland, as it would do if it were rejecting an intruding foreign body or an invading virus. Other immune disorders and inflammatory disorders can also impede proper thyroid function.

Genetic causes and birth defects are also cited as the cause of some cases of hypothyroidism. Insufficient pituitary gland functioning can also instigate hypothyroidism. Irradiation of the neck area has also been known to produce hypothyroidism-like symptoms, as has surgical removal of the thyroid gland.

According to epidemiological studies of diagnosed cases of hypothyroidism, the chief risk factor for the condition is female gender. Other factors that may increase an individual’s risk for hypothyroidism include obesity, an age of 50+, past thyroid problems and/or thyroid surgery, and a past history of neck irradiation, through either x-rays or radiation therapy.

Treatment and prognosis for hypothyroidism

Although there is no known cure for hypothyroidism, the condition responds very well to existing treatments. Patients who adhere to the prescribed course of medication often report no discernable symptoms and no significant diminishment in their sense of health, well-being, and quality of life. However, consistency is important in maintaining a stable metabolism -- hypothyroidism patients who discontinue their thyroid medication against doctors’ orders often experience wide fluctuations in thyroid function that can have negative long-term health effects.

In many cases, fatigue, depression, weight gain, and impaired cognitive function are simply the unfortunate results of the hectic modern lifestyle. However, these symptoms could also be a sign of hypothyroidism or another related health problem. If you’ve experienced any of these problems, check with your doctor about the possibility of a thyroid screening.

To learn more

• http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1145.htm
• http://www.endocrineweb.com/hypo1.html
• http://www.webmd.com/hw/thyroid_disorders/hw145669.asp