Learn about hypothyroidism in elderly
Some of the symptoms in the elderly: the body fatigue, eating delicious ... but no known cause can be symptoms of hypothyroidism in the elderly.
The symptoms of hypothyroidism in the elderly often appear gradually, not headlining very easily be mistaken for signs of aging.
What is hypothyroidism?
The thyroid is an endocrine gland paramount importance of the body. This gland is located at the front of the neck, has two lobes on the right and left side lobes, with a weight of about 20 grams.
The thyroid gland secretes the hormones thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) have an important role in regulating the metabolism of the body such as strengthening the metabolism, stimulate growth and sexual maturity, size like heart contractions, increase metabolism generate body heat, stimulates the activity of the nervous system ...
When thyroid decline or complete loss of function, hormone produces too little hormone, is not sufficient for needs of the body. If not diagnosed and treated early will lead to metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, endocrinology, psychiatry. The consequences of this disorder are the impairment of health and quality of life.
According to estimates, the number of older people suffer from thyroid account for 5-20% in women and from 3-8% in men. This figure increases with age and, in many cases, hypothyroidism misdiagnosed with diseases in general as body weakness, neurasthenia or not conditional tests to determine a clear clearly the degree of hypothyroidism.
Cause of hypothyroidism in the elderly
There are many causes of thyroid dysfunction in the elderly. Hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause. This is a disease of autoimmune nature or the body to produce antibodies against the thyroid cells. This disease can occur after a bacterial or viral infection and in scope many cases are unexplained.
The second reason to cause hypothyroidism in the elderly, it is also very common hypothyroidism due to anti-thyroid drugs synthesized in patients with hyperthyroidism. Anti-thyroid drugs work to control the production of too much thyroid hormone in patients with hyperthyroidism, but if overdose and not controlled can cause hypothyroidism.
Surgical removal of the thyroid gland partially or wholly in Graves disease or thyroid cancer ... also cause hypothyroidism in the elderly. The head and neck radiation therapy (such as cancer of the palate) could hurt thyroid and lead to functional impairment. The thyroid gland may also be impairment when taking certain medications such as amiodarone, lithium, interferon ... prolonged or overdose.
In addition, dietary iodine deficiency can cause prolonged hypothyroidism, whereas putting too much iodine in the body to also be reduced thyroid function. Thyroid activity is due to hormone adjacent elements by the pituitary gland produces, so when the amount of stimulus armor elements are reduced due to hypopituitarism (due to cancer, vascular ...), the thyroid also suffered under and quantity hormone secretion decreases. Also, hypothyroidism in the elderly is also seen in patients with scleroderma, amyloidosis disease or some other pathological cases damaging the thyroid.
Expression silently
the manifestation of hypothyroidism in older people are often reticent due to thyroid declining slowly up the symptoms are not aggressive and are often mixed with other manifestations or in old age, such as poor diet, fatigue, forgetful…
Basic metabolic should reduce patients always feel chills, fear of cold, poor cold tolerance. Constipation is common symptoms and sometimes the only manifestation suggests patients with hypothyroidism. Other signs of hypothyroidism often have a less pronounced than
Treatment How?
When determining the status of hypothyroidism in the elderly, is the basic therapy for patients taking thyroid hormone replacement. Synthetic hormones are commonly used as levothyroxine. If hypothyroidism is caused by the pituitary gland secretion stimulants decline borders as pituitary tumor factors may consider surgery only used in combination with levothyroxine. Stop drugs suspect hypothyroidism if drug-induced hypothyroidism. In addition, other support measures could be considered as the anti-constipation drug, balanced diet ... to help patients recover quickly.
The symptoms of hypothyroidism in the elderly often appear gradually, not headlining very easily be mistaken for signs of aging.
What is hypothyroidism?
The thyroid is an endocrine gland paramount importance of the body. This gland is located at the front of the neck, has two lobes on the right and left side lobes, with a weight of about 20 grams.
The thyroid gland secretes the hormones thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) have an important role in regulating the metabolism of the body such as strengthening the metabolism, stimulate growth and sexual maturity, size like heart contractions, increase metabolism generate body heat, stimulates the activity of the nervous system ...
When thyroid decline or complete loss of function, hormone produces too little hormone, is not sufficient for needs of the body. If not diagnosed and treated early will lead to metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, endocrinology, psychiatry. The consequences of this disorder are the impairment of health and quality of life.
According to estimates, the number of older people suffer from thyroid account for 5-20% in women and from 3-8% in men. This figure increases with age and, in many cases, hypothyroidism misdiagnosed with diseases in general as body weakness, neurasthenia or not conditional tests to determine a clear clearly the degree of hypothyroidism.
Cause of hypothyroidism in the elderly
There are many causes of thyroid dysfunction in the elderly. Hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause. This is a disease of autoimmune nature or the body to produce antibodies against the thyroid cells. This disease can occur after a bacterial or viral infection and in scope many cases are unexplained.
The second reason to cause hypothyroidism in the elderly, it is also very common hypothyroidism due to anti-thyroid drugs synthesized in patients with hyperthyroidism. Anti-thyroid drugs work to control the production of too much thyroid hormone in patients with hyperthyroidism, but if overdose and not controlled can cause hypothyroidism.
Surgical removal of the thyroid gland partially or wholly in Graves disease or thyroid cancer ... also cause hypothyroidism in the elderly. The head and neck radiation therapy (such as cancer of the palate) could hurt thyroid and lead to functional impairment. The thyroid gland may also be impairment when taking certain medications such as amiodarone, lithium, interferon ... prolonged or overdose.
In addition, dietary iodine deficiency can cause prolonged hypothyroidism, whereas putting too much iodine in the body to also be reduced thyroid function. Thyroid activity is due to hormone adjacent elements by the pituitary gland produces, so when the amount of stimulus armor elements are reduced due to hypopituitarism (due to cancer, vascular ...), the thyroid also suffered under and quantity hormone secretion decreases. Also, hypothyroidism in the elderly is also seen in patients with scleroderma, amyloidosis disease or some other pathological cases damaging the thyroid.
Expression silently
the manifestation of hypothyroidism in older people are often reticent due to thyroid declining slowly up the symptoms are not aggressive and are often mixed with other manifestations or in old age, such as poor diet, fatigue, forgetful…
Basic metabolic should reduce patients always feel chills, fear of cold, poor cold tolerance. Constipation is common symptoms and sometimes the only manifestation suggests patients with hypothyroidism. Other signs of hypothyroidism often have a less pronounced than
Treatment How?
When determining the status of hypothyroidism in the elderly, is the basic therapy for patients taking thyroid hormone replacement. Synthetic hormones are commonly used as levothyroxine. If hypothyroidism is caused by the pituitary gland secretion stimulants decline borders as pituitary tumor factors may consider surgery only used in combination with levothyroxine. Stop drugs suspect hypothyroidism if drug-induced hypothyroidism. In addition, other support measures could be considered as the anti-constipation drug, balanced diet ... to help patients recover quickly.
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