Treatments for Graves
Meds, radioactive iodine (I131– kills off cells), surgery
medications for Graves
preferred antithyroid drug
methimazole preferred due to PTU effects on liver
when might you use propylthiouracil instead of methimazole in Graves?
pregnant women
what symptom common between hypothyroid and hyperthyroid
fatigue
when to treat hypothyroidism with TSH
almost all will treat with TSH >10. WHether to treat between 5-10 mIU/L controversial
preferred medication for hypothyroid treatment
levothyroxine- synthetic T4
treatment goal for hypothyroidism
between 1-2.5
- somewhere in nl range
Myxedema coma
extreme hypothyroidism so severe it can progress to death unless diagnosed promptly and treated vigorously
Sxs of myxedema coma
decreased cardiac output, bradycardia, respiratory depression, edema, altered mental status, hypothermia, metabolic derangements
Does the thyroid produce more T3 or T4
T4 (80-100 micrograms/day compared to 3-6 micrograms per day)
Which thyroid hormone is more active
T3
Deiodinase
converts T4 to T3
types 1 and 2 convert T4 to T3, but type 3 converts T4 to rT3 (inactive)
how is thyroid hormone transported
in blood, most is bound to proteins (TBG, TBPA, albumin)
is there a higher concentration of T3 or T4 in the blood
T3 (0.2% total TH vs 0.02%)
proteins binding T4 in blood
thyroxine binding globulin(TBG), thyroid binding prealbumin (TBPA), albumin
proteins binding T3 in blood
Thyroxine binding globulin, albumin
halflives of T3 vs T4
T3 = 1 day vs 7 days for T4
Causes of increased total T4 and total T3
causes of increased free T4 and free T3
hyperthyroid/thyrotoxicosis and thyroid hormone resistance
** binding protein issues not important
causes of decreased total or free T4 and T3
Euthyroid sick syndrome/nonthyroidal illness
pt is sick for some other reason and not underlying thyroid disease; have elevated circulating cortisol, free fatty acids, cytokines that cause upregulation or type 3 deiodinase, so you get inactivation of thyroid hormone
- also have mild central hypothyroidism– have nl to decreased TSH at pituitary
nl TSH level
0.4-4.0
what test do we use to look at thyroid function
TSH level - single best screening test for thyroid dysfunction
- indicates person’s thyroid hormone ‘set point’