Thyroid Graves' disease

Question 1

Thyroid

Answer 1

• Primary Function
  > controls cellular metabolic activity throughout body
• Influences every major organ system
• Hormones:
  > Thyroxine (T4) & Triiodothyronine (T3); aka Thyroid hormone (TH)
  > Calcitonin

Question 2

Thyroid Hormone

Answer 2

• T3 & T4
• Effect growth, maturation, & function of cells and tissues

Question 3

Hyperthyroidism (Thyrotoxicosis)

fast forward

Answer 3

• Excessive output of thyroid hormones
• Women 8x greater than men
• Graves Disease most common type
  > caused by abnormal stimulation by immunoglobulins (autoimmune): immunoglobulins bond irregularly to thyroid tissue = excess secretion of T3 & T4

Question 4

Hyperthyroidism - CMs

sweating

Answer 4

• Nervous/anxious
• Apprehensive
• Can’t sit still
• Poor heat tolerance
  > heat flashes
• High HR
  > 120-180 @ rest
• Flushed
• Skin moist
• Tremors
• Incrd appetite
• Wt loss
• Weakness
• Amenorrhea
• Exophthalmos: bulging eyes (permanent)
• Thyroid enlargement
  > bruit over thyroid arteries

Question 5

Hyperthyroidism - Labs & Diagnostics

Answer 5

• Thyroid labs
  > TSH will be low, T3 & T4 will be elevated
• Radioactive Iodine uptake
  > thyroid needs iodine to produce T3 & T4
  > measure rate of iodine uptake by thyroid
  > hyperthyroid will be high uptake
  > hypothyroid will be low uptake
• Fine-Needle aspirate biopsy
  > tissue sample to detect cancer
• Thyroid scan
  > radionuclide injeted in thyroid and test determines “hot” areas of incrd activity & “cold” areas of dcr activity (cancer)
  > entire body may be scanned to determine metastatic thyroid disease