Research Paper On Grave's Disease

My grandmother suffered with thyroid and use to always ask me if I had thyroids. I remember a time when she told me to get a quarter and some iodine to put on my stomach above my navel. She told me if it changed colors that I had thyroids. Also, because I felt so drained most of the time and would swell in my body often, she had me to consult with my physician about the matter. My grandmother was a very intelligent woman that was very health conscience about herself and her family.

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

Graves’ disease was named after Robert J. Graves, MD, around the 1830’s. It is an autoimmune disease indicated by hyperthyroidism due to circulating autoantibodies, which is an antibody that attacks the person’s own body. The immune system attacks the thyroid gland, which causes it to produce too much thyroxine. Thyroxine is a hormone that helps control growth and also regulates metabolism in the body. While the thyroxine levels are high the patient’s metabolic rate increases, which can have an effect on their physical appearance as well as their frame of mind. Graves’ disease is the number one cause of hyperthyroidism in the U.S.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the thyroid. The thyroid is a small gland at the base of the neck that produces hormones and that help control most of the bodies activities. Inflammation to the thyroid, from Hashimoto’s, often leads to hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s disease is the number one cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. It mainly affects middle aged women but Hashimoto’s can affect men, women of any age, and even children (“Hashimoto’s Disease-National Library of Medicine-PubMed Health,” 2014).

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, also called Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. It was named for the Japanese surgeon who discovered it in 1912 The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid makes hormones called T3 and T4. These hormones regulate metabolism. The thyroid is controlled by hormones of the pituitary gland, which is also called the “master gland.” It is a pea-sized gland located in the base of the brain which, among others, makes thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH. TSH stimulates the thyroid to make thyroid hormone. With Hashimoto’s disease, the thyroid cells are damaged resulting in the inability to make enough thyroid

Hashimoto thyroiditis is a common disease caused by hypothyroidism. The immune system cells attack the thyroid gland, causing inflammation and eventually destruction of the gland. This reduces the thyroids ability to make hormones. These hormones are known as thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) (Better health channel 2015).

Week 3 – LOM Assignment The thyroid is responsible for taking iodine and converting it into thyroid hormones which are released into the blood stream and transported throughout the body where they control metabolism.1 The thyroid is a vital part of the human body as every cell in the body depends on it for metabolic regulation. Too much or too little thyroid hormone secretion can result in hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is caused when the thyroid secretes too many thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism causes a rapid heart rate, elevated blood pressure and tremors. Other symptoms include increased nervousness, inability to concentrate, weakness, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, frequent bowel movements, weight loss and irregular

However Graves' disease is named after the Irish physician who described several cases in London Medical Journal in 1835. Graves' disease is also known as Parry's disease. In Europe, the disease is known as Basedow's disease. It is the most common cause of thyrotoxicosis (the morbid condition due to over activity of the thyroid gland).

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)

JG, a 34-year old Caucasian female presented to the primary care physician office with complaints of losing weight and feelings that "her heart is beating out of her chest". On assessment it was noted that JG had lost twenty pounds in 3 months. JG exhibited tremors in hands, bulging eyes, and pretibial edema. On physical examination there was a goiter, or enlarged thyroid gland noted.

Karen Holt describes in her 2010 article Graves’ Disease: Clinical Pathophysiology, Presentation and Treatment Options of certain genetic markers that cause the blood vessels surrounding the thyroid gland to dilate, most often occurring in the second to third decade of life. The dilation of these vessels causes an increase in blood flow and thyroid-stimulating antibodies excite thyrotropin receptors on the gland itself in the same manner that TSH usually works. These antibodies, known as TSAb, bypass the negative feedback loop that TSH works under causing the follicles to produce thyroid hormones in copious amounts without the ability to turn themselves “off”. This in turn causes the thyroid gland to hypertrophy and grow as much as 2 to 3 times its normal size (p. 13-14). In an effort to stop the overproduction of thyroid hormones the pituitary gland will stop making TSH and this becomes part of the diagnosing for Graves’ disease when assessing hyperthyroidism. Increased levels of free T3 and T4 along with an almost non-detectable level of TSH in a blood screen are very indicative of Graves’ disease (Holt, 2010, p. 14). There is no cure for Graves’ disease, but it is treatable with lifestyle adjustments as well as drug therapy it can be managed to a point (p 46).

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,

Graves’ disease is often associated with the over activity of the thyroid gland, also known as hyperthyroidism. It is more common among women, and

The most common cause of a goiter is a lack of iodine in a person's diet. Iodine can be found in various seafood and dairy products. In the United States, where iodized salt is common, goiters are more often caused by the over- or under-production of thyroid hormones. In underdeveloped countries, people who live inland or in elevated areas are often iodine deficient. The thyroid enlarges in attempt to raise it's iodine levels. Another cause of goiters is having Graves' disease, which is when antibodies mistakenly attack the thyroid gland. In result of this, there is an overproduction of thyroxine and the gland swells. Similar to this, goiters result from the understimulation of the thyroid gland, known as Hashimoto's disease. The pituitary gland senses the low amounts of the hormone and produces more TSH to stimulate the thyroid, causing it to enlarge. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), which is produced during a woman's pregnancy, can

Thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), are implicated in numerous process, including growth and development of muscle, bones and the central nervous system (CNS); metabolism by increasing basal metabolic rate, calorigenesis and appetite; and have cardiovascular effects due to they make the heart beats faster and harder. Deregulation of the correct function of the thyroid can lead to different pathological process such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, goiters, thyroid cancer and solitary thyroid nodules. The determination of thyroid hormones, especially FT4, together with TSH is an important element in clinical routine diagnosis. It is useful when thyroid disorders are suspected and also for the monitoring of therapy.