Thyroid Hypothyroidism

In the United States, thyroid conditions affect “nearly 30 million Americans, and yet more than half of them remain undiagnosed, “ Dr. Simona Scumpia (2006) warns. The disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease. Thyroid conditions can lead a person to develop other health problems, such as heart disease, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, and depression. Dr. Simona Scumpia, Medical Director of the Austin Thyroid and Endocrinology Center, explains: "Because the symptoms of thyroidism can be associated with commonly occurring conditions, it is extremely important that people who have the symptoms be checked with a test known as a TSH test.” The TSH test, or Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone test, is a simple blood test that measures the thyroid gland's condition.

According to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis begins with a physical exam and medical history. A goiter, nodules, or growths may be found during a physical exam, and symptoms may suggest hypothyroidism. Health care providers will then perform blood tests to confirm the diagnosis. Diagnostic blood tests may include the TSH, which, if above normal lab values, means a patient has hypothyroidism. Blood tests also include T4, which is the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood. In hypothyroidism, the blood lab values are lower than normal. The anti-thyroid antibody tests look for presence of thyroid autoantibodies. Most people with Hashimoto’s disease have these antibodies; however, hypothyroidism isn’t always caused

In order to evaluate thyroid function and diagnose thyroid diseases such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, the free thyroxine (free T4) lab test is performed usually after discovering that the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level is abnormal (Porth C 2014 p.1288)

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

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).

The patient’s diagnosis is primary overt hypothyroidism. The patient presents with certain features such as weight gain, weakness, excessively dry flaking skin, dry hair, sluggish movements, constipation, bradycardia, diminished deep tendon reflexes, and bilateral edematous hands, which is classical signs and symptoms for primary hypothyroidism. The patient laboratory test reveals she has an elevation in serum thyroid stimulating hormone level along with low serum free thyroxin and triiodthyronine levels, which indicates it is a dysfunction or abnormality in the thyroid gland as opposed to the pituitary gland or hypothalamus (Gaitonde; Lohano; Porth, 2015, p. 780; Ross, 2014).

Thyroid hormone deficiency in the body is risky to the malfunction of the vital organs. Alterations like lowering and slowing of the biological processes in the body are assumed by the illness. These variations may replicate those that come about with age. The symptoms associated with hypothyroidism may be difficult to describe especially in the old persons. Hypothyroidism can show different manifestations and signs, depending on the health condition, age and sex of the patient. Thus, for it to be treated appropriately, the nursing practitioner has to have the correct diagnosis (Garber, 2012). Since the disorder is more evident at old age, it is, therefore, vital for thyroid disorder among the aged to be a matter of discussion (Laurberg, 2005). Thus, this thesis aims at discussing the effects of hypothyroidism to a seventy years old male

The thyroid stimulating hormone receptors are G-protein linked and are found extracellularly in the thyroid glands. When activated, synthesis of hormonally active iodothyronines T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine) begins (Park and Chatterjee, 2005). This process begins with iodide is transported into the thyroid gland by the sodium iodide symporter found in the membrane of thyroid follicular cells (Park and Chatterjee, 2005). The iodotyrosine residues monoiodotyrosine and diiodotyrosine are then formed through iodine organification where the iodide is oxidised using hydrogen peroxide and then bound to tyrosine in the thyroglobulin (Park and Chatterjee, 2005). The residues then bind together to form the hormonally active iodothyronines aforementioned (Park and Chatterjee, 2005). Many catalytic enzymes mediate this process and are needed to ensure proper thyroid hormone synthesis. Failure in any steps of the synthesis process leads dyshormonogenesis and could be the result of genetic defects. Adequate synthesis of active thyroid hormone is necessary for the regulation of many developmental processes (Richter, C. et al.,

Hypothyroidism is a lack of activity in the Thyroid (the Endocrine gland), which is located in the neck. Because it is a part of the Endocrine gland, it plays a major role in the hormonal system; which may cause complications with the pituitary (located in the brain), the ovaries or the testes.

Hyperthyroidism is caused by an excess of thyroxine (T4) or triiodothyronine (T3), or both. This excess is a result of a malfunction of the thyroid gland as indicated by the picture below. There are many different symptoms of hyperthyroidism, some of the most common being major weight loss despite having a insatiable appetite, anxiety, heat intolerance, fatigue, weakness, hyperactivity, irritability, apathy, depression, and sweating. In addition, many experience shortness of breath, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, osteoporosis, and diarrhea. However, those who undergo hyperthyroidism later in life may not experience most of these symptoms at all and instead only feel constantly fatigued and considerable weight loss. Nonetheless, neurological symptoms may occur in addition to the physical manifestations. These neurological symptoms include tremor, chorea (ticks), myopathy (muscle weakness), and temporary but periodic paralysis. There are a variety of ways to treat hyperthyroidism, depending on the age of the patient, the size of their thyroid gland, and their general health. The most common treatments include beta-blockers, which do not actually cure hyperthyroidism but mask some of the symptoms such as tremors, anxiety and so on. This, however, is not advised for those with heart or lung problems. Another possible treatment for this disease is radioactive iodine, or RAI. RAI therapy is the most common treatment for hyperthyroidism

Hashimoto’s disease is now recognized as an autoimmune disease and the primary cause of hypothyroidism, occurring almost twice as often in women than in men. The immune system of someone with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, will mistakenly recognizes the normal thyroid cells as foreign tissue and it produces antibodies that may destroy these cells (American Thyroid Association). When the immune system attack the thyroid, this can lead to hypothyroidism. This is when the body is not making enough hormone to maintain your

Hypothyroidism occurs when there is an abnormally low amount of activity in the thyroid gland, a small gland on the front of a patient’s neck. A sluggish thyroid gland may cause a number of symptoms, including: muscle weakness, mental and physical fatigue, fluid retention, weight gain, hearing and vision difficulties, depression,

Aliza Young, a 25 year old female, was admitted to the hospital with complaints of rapid heart rate and palpitations. She states that her “heart has been jumping out of her chest”. She has been feeling more anxious and irritable as well. Upon assessment, Ms. Young’s skin appears flushed, moist, and warm. Ms. Young complains of feeling “overheated” and has been sweating profusely. She feels weak, has experienced an unusual amount of weight loss, and abnormal menstruation. Both the nurse and physician have suspicions of hyperthyroidism. Patient has no family history of thyroid disease. After lab results were received, the TSH

Hypothyroidism patient, needs good care and should take thyroid hormone medicine correctly. The victim need to see the doctor at least once per year, so that the doctor can check the victims condition closely and the doctor may adjust the treatment if need be. If the medicine has side effects, the doctor should be informed in order to have regular blood tests of finding whether the correct amount of thyroid hormone is being received. If left untreated and taking poor nutrition, hypothyroidism can lead to

Primary hypothyroidism is “caused by the inability of the thyroid gland to make T3 and T4” (Hurd, 2006). It is the inability to make and retain sufficient amounts of T3 and T4, the common thyroid hormones. Secretions are controlled by a negative feedback mechanism, which controls the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary, which then stimulates T3 and T4 secretions (Wiersinga, 2014). Normal functions of the thyroid hormones are to maintain the basal metabolic rate, stimulate oxygen consumption, absorb carbohydrates from the intestines, regulate lipid metabolism, as well as activating the next phase of the hair growth cycle (Melmed, 2011)(Contreras-Jurado, 2015).