Graves Disease Research Paper

Graves ' disease is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism). The thyroid gland is an important organ of the endocrine system. The gland is located at the front of the neck above where the collarbones meet. This gland releases the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which control body metabolism. Controlling metabolism is important for regulating mood, weight, and mental and physical energy levels. When the body makes too much thyroid hormone, the condition is called hyperthyroidism. Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism and is most common in women over age 20. But the disorder can occur at any age and can affect men as well. Some of the symptoms of Graves diseases are

Experts aren’t sure the exact cause of Graves’ disease because it is an autoimmune disease. There are certain risk factors associated with Graves’ disease which include genetics, gender, age, pregnancy, mental stress, and smoking. People who have family history of this disease are more likely to develop it. Also females are more likely than males to acquire Graves’ disease and onset of the disease usually occurs after the age of 20. Anatomy affected by this disease is the thyroid gland which is part of the endocrine system. It is located at the back of the neck, below the Adam’s apple. This disease doesn’t destroy the thyroid gland, instead an antibody called thyrotropin receptor antibody makes the thyroid produce large amounts of hormone. The thyroid produces two hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These hormones affect many body systems and play a key role in regulating the body’s metabolic rate. Excessive secretion of these hormones is what causes the signs and symptoms that have already been described.

Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto identified four patients with similar characteristics such as: “diffuse lymphocytic infiltration, fibrosis, parenchymal atrophy, and eosinophilic change in some of the acinar cells.” Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis often presents a painless yet enlarged thyroid gland, called a goiter. Hashimoto’s disease was often misdiagnosed and often found by either surgery or a thyroidectomy, according to Syrenicz, Anhelli (2013)

TSH not only stimulates the thyroid gland to churn out more hormones. If in excess, can cause overwhelming cell growth and division to result in goiter.

Whereas Hashimoto’s is an under active or under developed thyroid gland, Graves’ disease is the opposite. Graves' disease is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones, better known as hyperthyroidism. Although a number of disorders may result in hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease is a common cause. (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/graves-disease/basics/definition/con-20025811)

In the late 1900s graves’ disease was referred to the newspapers as exophthalmic goiter. The earliest it has ever been known was 1879, the Chester Pennsylvania’s Daily Times reported that a Dr. Pepper had 70 patients he had been working on. In 1902 Florence Beckel traveled to New York to see a specialist. As reported from Berlin by The New York Times in 1913, “It was not so many years ago when a diagnosis of exophthalmic goiter was equivalent to a death sentence.” The poor survival rate motivated doctors to seek new treatments, and many doctors thought they found it in X-rays’ 50 percent higher success rate (Gleason, T. (n.d.). A Short History of Graves' Disease Reporting in North American Newspapers. Retrieved August 20, 2014.) The pharmacology for this disease is radioactive iodine therapy and anti-thyroid medications such as propylthiouracil and methimazole (Tapazole). Beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL), and Nadolol (Corgard). For non-pharmacology Surgery is the best way to help remove that thyroid. What I found most interesting is the history part of it. What I learned is that if affects women and it can be fatal if left untreated. Staff, M. (2014,

Commonly, problems with the thyroid involve an abnormal production level of these hormones. It is called hyperthyroidism if there the thyroid hormones are overproduced, and this can cause things like Graves’ disease, Toxic adenomas, and subacute thyroiditis (7). Hypothyroidism is the underproduction of the hormones which can be caused by an inflamed thyroid, iodine deficiency, a non-functioning thyroid gland and more. Hypothyroidism is especially dangerous in infants and newborns as the lack of these thyroid hormones can lead to mental retardation and dwarfism (7). However, in humans hypothyroidism can be caused by things such as a pituitary disorder, a defective thyroid or a lack of the gland completely. (7)

Graves' disease, which is caused by a generalized overactivity of the thyroid gland, is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. In this condition, the thyroid gland usually is renegade, which means it has lost the ability to respond to the normal control by the pituitary gland via TSH. Graves' disease is hereditary and is up to five times more common among women than men. The triggers for Graves' disease include stress,

Graves’ Disease is identified as an autoimmune disorder that directly affects the thyroid gland. Characterized as the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, Graves’ Disease encompasses an overactive, enlarged thyroid gland, which produces an excess of thyroid hormones [1]. Approximately 3% of the United States population is affected by Graves’ Disease and 60-80% of patients affected with Graves’ disease are diagnosed with hyperthyroidism [2]. The approximate female to male ratio is 5/1, with majority of those cases being diagnosed in adults over the age of 20. The peak incidence of cases fall between 40-60 years old [3]. In addition, a higher incidence of Graves’ Disease appears in African Americans and persons of Asian descent as compared to Caucasians in the United States.

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease in which the over activity of the thyroid gland causes the overproduction of the thyroid hormone. This disease was described by Robert J. Graves a doctor from Ireland and is also known as Basedow’s disease. Even though there are several disorders that may result in hypothyroidism, grave disease is one of the most common type of hypothyroidism that occurs in 1 percent of U. S population (Anderson 2010). Furthermore, Grave disease is a disease that can affect anyone, but is more common amongst females before age 40. Concerning, grave disease will attack the immune system making antibodies that will cause the thyroid to enlarge and produce more than the amount of thyroid hormone that your body will need. These hormones that cause the thyroid to enlarge are called thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins. Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins are antibodies that tells the thyroid gland to become more active and release excess amounts of thyroid hormone into the blood (U.S. National library of medicine).

Hyperthyroidism (too much hormone) may result Grave's disease. Symptoms include anxiety, rapid heart rate, diarrhea and weight loss, nervousness, anxiety, and irritability.

Grave’s disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism, affecting more than seventy percent of people. This disease usually occurs when the immune system’s antibodies in the blood, also known as lymphocytes, attack the thyroid and bind to the surface of thyroid cells, which then grow in size and secrete too much thyroid hormone. It is thought to be a genetic disorder. Thyroid hormone plays a significant role in the body’s metabolic processes. When too much thyroid hormone is present, every bodily function tends to speed up. Common symptoms include nervousness, irritability, increased perspiration, heart racing, tremors, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, thinning of the skin, fine brittle hair, weakness of the muscles in the upper arms and thighs, frequent bowel movements, weight loss and for women, menstrual flow may lighten or occur less often. In Grave’s disease, the eyes may look enlarged or bulge. A goiter, or swelling in the front of the neck from an enlarged thyroid gland, is also common.

Grave’s disease is a disorder of the immune system causing the body to have an overproduction of hormones to the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). I chose this disease because I’ve known of a few people that have had difficulties with their thyroid’s. I wanted to learn more about it to be able to make other’s aware that they should have their thyroid checked regularly. The signs and symptoms that are associated with Grave’s Disease are anxiety, weight loss, puffy eyes, hand tremor’s, heat sensitivity, and the most noticeable is the enlargement of the thyroid. They can also experience insomnia, irritability and hair loss. Even though individual’s may have these signs and symptoms, this disease does require a medical diagnosis from a doctor.

During my sophomore year of high school, I was diagnosed by a naturopathic doctor with Grave's Disease, which is a thyroid condition. I felt that it was the end of the world being diagnosed with a thyroid condition. Though I learned that I could manage and live with it, but the good news was I did not have to have my thyroid surgically removed. I was shocked by the blood draw results that I have Grave's Disease and I thought it was a mistake, but it was not a mistake. It was upsetting for me to take in and by having this disease; it also meant that I had to eliminate all gluten from my diet. I had to take six to nine natural thyroid supplement capsules during the day and at night. I also was diagnosed as dairy intolerant. There was a part

Thyroid enlargement or goiter, known by the term is the most common clinical manifestation of the disease of the thyroid gland. Its appearance reflects the presence of abnormalities in the synthesis of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), which is often caused by a deficiency of iodine consumption. Goiter itself can be divided into two types, namely, diffuse and multinoduler. Goiter can also be divided up based on thyroid function in the event of the enlargement, namely the normal (non-toxic), overactive (toxic), or even the less active (goiter hypothyroid). The appearance of this goiter can reach 50% of the population.