Thyroidism Case Studies

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.

Physical Examination: General: The patient is an alert, oriented male appearing his stated age. He appears to be in moderate distress. Vital signs: blood pressure 132/78 and pulse 68 and regular. Temperature is 38.56 oC (101.4 oF). HEENT:Normocephalic, atraumatic. Pupils were equal, round, and reactive to light. Ears are clear. Throat is normal. Neck: The neck is supple with no carotid bruits. Lungs: The lungs are clear to auscultation and percussion. Heart: Regular rate and rhythm. Abdomen:Bowel sounds are normal. There is rebound tenderness with maximal discomfort on palpation in the right lower quadrant. Extremities: No clubbing, cyanosis, or edema.

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

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)

“The patient is Adam Rudd, a 78 y/o white male with a history of hypertension. He has been diagnosed with hypertension past 15 years and is on anti-hypertensive medications and aspirin. He is very weak and short of breath. He is accompanied with his longtime friend Jennifer, who reports that Rudd was looking very weak and was complaining of severe headache and blurred vision before coming to the hospital. He is 5’9” and weighs 270 lb. Vital signs recorded were: oral temperature 98.20 F, BP 224/120 mm Hg with a heart rate of 102 beats/minute and respiration of 24 breaths per minute. The pulse oximetry reading was 94% on room air. He is complaining of severe headache and blurred vision. Rudd said that he did not take his antihypertensive medication or aspirin since he ran out of pills. He has not been taking his medication for past 15 days. He reports no known allergies to any medications or other substances.”

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)

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

Grave’s Disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid and its hormone production. Normally, a healthy immune system releases antibodies that are designed to attack bacteria and viruses. In addition to antibodies, the thyroid creates hormones that regulate overall hormone production. With Grave’s Disease, the immune system releases antibodies that imitate these thyroid hormones; this leads to overproduction of hormones, or hyperthyroidism. Doctors are not sure as to what exactly causes Grave’s disease, but it is speculated that factors such as age play a role; as in, younger people are typically more prone to this illness. Its symptoms include anxiety; sweating; heart

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.

The main cause of hyperthyroidism Graves’ disease which affects quite a few people in the general population. This disease is characterized as an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body makes antibodies known as thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin that bind and over activate the production of thyroid hormones [3]. So in essence the antibody mimics the thyroid stimulating hormone and when the negative feedback loop is in affect the antibody still binds to the thyroid and T3 and T4 are over produced [2].

Graves’ disease was first identified in 1835 that it was interconnected with goiter, palpitation and bulging of the eyes by Robert Graves, although it was first written and published ten years ago by Caleb Perry ("Brent"). Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder, it induces the human body to have a hyperactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) causing immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies that attach to TSH receptors that starts the production and release of thyroid hormones; An autoimmune disorder is a disorder that happens when a healthy tissue gets attack by our immune system mistakenly. According to the article I read from New England Journal of Medicine “Graves' disease affects approximately 0.5% of the population and is the underlying cause of 50 to 80% of cases of hyperthyroidism” (Weetman).

Disturbed thyroid gland bring a number of health issues with it. Thyroid is one of the most important gland of our body that contributes in producing hormones that carry out energy, overall health and metabolism related functions. Malfunctioning in thyroid can bring up a number of health problems including heart diseases, weight loss or gain and hair loss etc. There are basically two main problems attached with thyroid glands, one is hyperthyroidism which leads to excessive production of hormones and the other one is hypothyroidism in which there is underactive thyroid functioning.

Hypothyroidism means that the thyroid does not produce enough of their hormones, and this usually occurs as a result of thyroid dysfunction in themselves. If a person solve its removal, the body is powerless to create the appropriate hormones, and if you remove just one part of it, being able to take them a while longer produced in sufficient quantity, but eventually burns in spending.