Pharmacology - Chapter 57 - Drugs for Thyroid Diseases

Question 1

Thyroid Gland - Triiodothyronin (T3) vs Thyroxine (T4)

Answer 1

T3- Highly Active.

T4 - Less active (precursor to T3)

Question 2

What are the principal actions of the thyroid?

Answer 2

Stimulation of energy, stimulation of the heart, growth and development.

Question 3

Hypothyroidism - def

Answer 3

deficiency of thyroid hormone.

Question 4

Myxedema - def

Answer 4

Hypothyroidism in adults.

Question 5

Cretinism - def

Answer 5

Hypothyroidism in children.

Question 6

What are some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Answer 6

Pale, puffy expressionless face, cold and dry skin, brittle hair, lower heart rate and temp, lethargic, fatigue, intolerance to cold, mentally impaired.

Question 7

Hypothyroidism is caused by….

Answer 7

malfunction of the thyroid itself.

Question 8

Hypothyroidism - replacement therapy - it is not life long. T/F?

Answer 8

False - it is life long!

Question 9

What causes hyperthyroidism?

Answer 9

Grave’s disease (excessive thyroid gland secretion), toxic nodular goiter, or thyrotoxic crisis, etc.

Question 10

What is grave’s disease?

Answer 10

Excessive thyroid hormone secretion.

Question 11

What are some symptoms of Graves’ Disease?

Answer 11

Rapid/Strong HR. rapid speech, nervousness, insomnia, etc.

Question 12

How do we treat Graves’ Disease?

Answer 12

Surgical removal of thyroid tissue, destruction of thyroid tissue with radio-active iodine, suppression of thyroid hormone synthesis with anti-thyroid drugs (like Propylthiouracil), Propranalol and non-radioactive iodine.

Question 13

Hyperthyroidism - Toxic Nodular Goiter (Plummer’s Disease) - def

Answer 13

Thyroid adenoma.

Question 14

How to treat Toxic Nodular Goiter?

Answer 14

Same as Graves’ disease.

Question 15

Thyrotoxic Crisis (Thyroid Storm.) What is it? How to treat?

Answer 15

Extremely high thyroid hormone. We treat this by high doses of potassium iodide, Propylthouracil to suppress thyroid hormone synthesis, and propranolol to reduce heart rate.

Question 16

Levothyroxine (T4) - thyroid hormone replacement, and it is the drug of choice. T/F? And the half-life is ___ days?

Answer 16

True! and 7 days!

Question 17

What are some AE’s of Levothyroxine?

Answer 17

Tachycardia, Angina, and Tremors.

Question 18

Propylthionuracil (PCU) - What is it? What does it do?

Answer 18

It is an antithyroid Drug. It inhibits thyroid hormone synthesis. It is used for Graves’ disease, adjunct to radiation therapy, surgery, and thyrotoxic crisis.

Question 19

What are some AE’s of Propylthionuracil?

Answer 19

Agranulocytosis, Hypothyroidism, and Neonatal Hypothyrodism.

Question 20

Radioactive Iodine I 131 - It emits __ and __ rays.

Answer 20

Gamma/Beta.