What is hyperthyroidism? Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid, a condition when your thyroid gland produces too much thyroxine hormone. “Hyperthyroidism can mimic other health problems, which may make it difficult for your doctor to diagnose. It can also cause a wide variety of signs and symptoms” (Mayo Clinic, 2015, para. 2) There are several treatment options available if someone has hyperthyroidism. This condition can become serious if ignored and in some cases, life threatening.
There is a list of signs and symptoms including: sudden weight loss, tachycardia, arrhythmia, palpitations, increased appetite, nervousness, anxiety, irritability, tremors of the hands and fingers, sweating, changes in menstrual patterns, more frequent bowel
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During an exam, a person’s doctor may try to detect a slight tremor in your fingers when they're extended, overactive reflexes, eye changes and warm, moist skin. Your doctor will also examine your thyroid gland as you swallow to see if it's enlarged, bumpy or tender and check your pulse to see if it's rapid. (Mayo Clinic, 2015). “A diagnosis can be confirmed with blood tests that measure the levels of thyroxine and TSH in your blood. High levels of thyroxine and low or nonexistent amounts of TSH indicate an overactive thyroid. The amount of TSH is important because it's the hormone that signals your thyroid gland to produce more thyroxine. These tests are particularly necessary for older adults, who may not have classic symptoms of hyperthyroidism.” (Mayo Clinic, 2015, pg. 2) “Your doctor may also want to obtain a picture of your thyroid (a thyroid scan). The scan will find out if your entire thyroid gland is overactive or whether you have a toxic nodular goiter or thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation). A test that measures the ability of the gland to collect iodine (a thyroid uptake) may be done at the same time.” (ATA, 2018, pg. 1) Hyperthyroidism can be treated by antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine, surgery, or beta …show more content…
The hormones regulate your metabolism, including the production of energy, hormones, tissue growth, elimination of waste products, and the distribution of nutrients in the blood. “Hyperthyroidism can affect all of your body functions. It causes the body’s normal rate of functioning to speed up. This can result in physical, behavioral, and emotional changes. Untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to serious medical problems. Hyperthyroidism cannot be prevented, but it is generally treatable and rarely fatal.” (Colonial Healthcare, 2018, para. 2). For nursing implication there isn’t anything to be aware of considering it is only known to be caused from hereditary factors. “Thyroid storm is most commonly associated with underlying Graves' disease, although has been reported with autonomous thyroid nodular disease.” (Carroll, 2014, para. 1) “The interference of thyroid hormones in this system and in cardiovascular events has been studied in recent years. However, the mechanisms involved in vascular, purinergic, and oxidative changes in thyroid disorders are not completely understood.” (Jucimara Baldissarelli, 2018, p.
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
"Hyper" means "over." Think of a "hyper" person, which is short for hyperactive - that is, too active. Therefore, a person suffering from hyperthyroidism (a hyperactive thyroid) has a thyroid which is overactive. It is commonly referred to as a
Hyperthyroidism is a malfunction of the thyroid gland, where the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone. The thyroid hormone is responsible for the body's use of energy, metabolic rates, and proper functioning of the organ systems (Graves disease, 2014). It is an essential hormone for homeostasis.
Hypothyroidism is caused by the thyroid’s gland inability to produce thyroid hormone as required by the body. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism requires the laboratory testing of the thyroid stimulating hormone known as TSH. When the TSH is found to be elevated, a clinician should repeat the test along with a free thyroxine (T4) measurement. If the TSH is found to be elevated, while the T4 is normal, the patient is said to suffer from subclinical hypothyroidism. However, if the TSH is elevated and the T4 is low, the diagnosis is primary hypothyroidism (Gaitonde et al., 2012).
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,
According to the American Thyroid Association hyperthyroidism is an condition in which there is excessive amount of thyroid hormone in the body. It is also stated that another term for this problem is called Grave’s disease or thyrotoxicosis, and thyrotoxicosis is when there is high levels of thyroid hormones in the blood stream. The thyroid is a small shaped butter-fly gland located in the front of the neck and that is apart of the immune system. The authors of this article talks about who is the most affected, diagnoses, and treatment of this disease.
There are many causes of hyperthyroidism, but the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are the same no matter what causes the over expression of thyroid hormones. The main symptoms of hyperthyroidism are fatigue, shortness of breath, weak muscles, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and heart palpitations. Interestingly, even with an increase in appetite the patient will have weight loss.
Hyperparathyroidism is an excess of parathyroid hormone in the bloodstream due to overactivity of one or more of the body's four parathyroid glands. These glands are about the size of a grain of rice and are located in your neck. The parathyroid glands make parathyroid hormone, which helps sustain a suitable balance of calcium in the bloodstream and in tissues that depend on calcium for good functioning. Two types of hyperparathyroidism exist. In primary hyperparathyroidism, an increase of one or more of the parathyroid glands causes overproduction of the hormone, developing in high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause a variety of health problems. Surgery is the most common treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism. Secondary hyperparathyroidism happens as a result of additional disease that primarily causes low levels of calcium in the body and over time, increased
This is a condition in which the thyroid gland no longer produces enough of vital hormones.
Chronic diseases such as hyperthyroidism can be debilitating if not managed well. Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid gland that secrets too much hormones throughout the body causing many different clinical manifestations within all systems. The thyroid gland is located right underneath the larynx also known as the voice box, and straddling the windpipe.
More than roughly 12 percent of the United States will be diagnosed with a thyroid condition in their lifetime. An estimated 20 million having some form of thyroid disease, one of the most prevalent of these being hyperthyroidism. An estimated 60 percent are completely unaware that they have a thyroid condition, which can put them at risk for certain conditions. The conditions can become severe with complications such as cardiovascular disease or cancer. Majority of the thyroid conditions diagnosed are life-long and can be managed with the right medical attention. Through the use of the correct imaging to diagnose the disease, most of them can be found early on. If found, the majority of thyroid disorders are manageable and treated
Hypothyroidism is the most widely recognized clinical disorder of thyroid function. It is frequently caused by a disorder of the thyroid gland,
Hyperthyroidism is when your thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone, the thyroid is a gland that is placed in front of your neck. It Controls your your metabolism, which is what your body uses to turn food into energy. It can also impact your heart, muscles, bones and cholesterol. Having too much thyroid can make a lot of things in your body go faster. You might lose weight faster, have a faster heartbeat, sweat a lot more, feel more nervous and more moody. Or you might not have many symptoms at all. Hyperthyroidism can be easily treated with treatment, you can lead a healthy life. The main way to treat hyperthyroidism is to take medications, without treatment hyperthyroidism can lead to serious heart problems, bone problems and a dangerous
The diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism is made by measurement of increased levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and decreased levels of TH (thyroid hormone including total T, and both total and free T4)(McCance & Huether, 2014, p. 729). Thyroid disorders are detected by testing TSH, T4, and T3 levels in the blood. A decrease of thyroid hormone causes the pituitary gland to produce more TSH, which increase levels in the bloodstream in an attempt to encourage thyroid hormone production. This rise