Hashimoto's thyroiditis medical therapy
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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Overview
Medical Therapy
Hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is treated with thyroid hormone replacement. A small pill taken once a day should be able to keep the thyroid hormone levels normal. This medicine will, in most cases, need to be taken for the rest of the patient's life.
Treatment generally depends on whether the thyroid is damaged enough to cause hypothyroidism. In the absence of hypothyroidism, some doctors treat Hashimoto’s disease to reduce the size of the goiter. Others choose not to treat the disease and simply monitor their patients for disease progression. Hashimoto’s disease, with or without hypothyroidism, is treated with synthetic thyroid hormone. Doctors prefer to use synthetic T4 such as Synthroid rather than synthetic T3 because T4 stays in the body longer, ensuring a steady supply of thyroid hormone throughout the day. The so-called “natural” thyroid preparations made with desiccated animal thyroid are rarely prescribed today. The exact dose of synthetic thyroid hormone depends on a person’s age and weight; the severity of the hypothyroidism, if present; the presence of other health problems; and the use of other medications such as cholesterol-lowering drugs that could interfere with the action of synthetic thyroid hormone. Doctors routinely test the blood of patients taking synthetic thyroid hormone and make dosage adjustments as necessary. A normal, healthy thyroid and metabolic state can be restored with the use of synthetic thyroid hormone.