Thyroid disease
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Thyroid disease Main Page |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. It has a regulatory effect on body metabolism by secreting hormones. The principal hormones include thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones regulate the rate of metabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body. Iodine is an essential component of both T3 and T4. Any disturbances in the rate of hormone production may result in many sequences in body metabolism. Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are mostly related to the magnitude of the thyroid hormone deficiency and the course of the development of hormone deficiency including fatigue, cold intolerance, hypothermia, coarse skin, and weight gain. Otherwise, hyperthyroidism may result in palpitations, insomnia, anxiety, weight loss, and heat intolerance. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis). However, it might be caused by other less common causes, such as secondary and even tertiary diseases. Hyperthyroidism can be due to hyperactivity of the thyroid gland itself (primary hyperthyroidism) or due to abnormalities in the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus causing irregularities in the upper control of the gland.The most common cause of goiter is iodine deficiency and is more common in developing countries. Thyroid cancer refers to any of four kinds of tumors of the thyroid gland; papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic. Papillary and follicular tumors are the most common and usually are benign. They grow slowly, may recur, but are generally not fatal in patients under 45 years of age.
Classification
Thyroid disorders could be classified as the nature of the disease and its symptoms.
| Thyroid diseases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hypothyroidism | Hyperthyroidism | Simple Goiter | Thyroid Cancers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||