Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder, meaning the body’s immune system acts against its own healthy cells and tissues.
Graves’ disease, also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. Hyperthyroidism is a disorder that occurs when the thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormone than the body needs.
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the from on the neck below the larynx or voice box. The thyroid gland makes two thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Thyroid hormones affect metabolism, brain development, breathing, heart and nervous system functions, body temperature, muscle strength, skin dryness, menstrual cycles, weight, and cholesterol levels.
Thyroid hormone production is regulated by another hormone called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is made by the pituitary gland located in the brain.
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder, meaning the body’s immune system acts against its own healthy cells and tissues. In Graves’ disease the immune system makes antibodies called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) that attach to thyroid cells. TSI mimics the action of TSH and stimulates the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone. Sometimes the antibodies can instead block thyroid hormone production, leading to a confusing clinical picture. The diagnosis and treatment of Graves’ disease is often performed by an endocrinologist-a doctor who specializes in the body’s hormone-secreting glands.
Symptoms of this condition includes goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland that can lead to the swelling of the neck), trouble sleeping, irritability, nervousness, hand tremors, rapid or irregular heartbeats, diarrhea, heat intolerance, apparent weight loss, and fatigue or muscle weakness.
Others refer to these symptoms as a resemblance to an overdose of epinephrine (or adrenaline).
Factors like heredity, age, sex, and stress are believed to be involved in determining who are affected, but those who often experience this disease are individuals around the age of 40 or younger and is more common among women.
Doctors can diagnosis Grave’s disease based only on a physical examination and medical history. Laboratory test confirm the diagnosis.
Treatments for Graves Disease include Radioiodine Therapy, thyroid surgery, or antithyroid drugs.
Radioiodine Therapy is often the choice of treatment for hyperthyroidism since this is given in a single dose – those some prefer taking it in small doses. The radioactive iodine (RAI) disrupts the function of some thyroid cells that causes those to stop functioning. A higher dose of RAI would cause more thyroid cells to stop producing hormones.
Antithyroid drugs are medications that blocks formation of thyroid hormones in the gland. Some use it only as a short-term treatment since it has certain side effects. People with Graves Disease who uses these drugs are often monitored by their doctors or health care providers.
Others who has Graves Disease may exhibit bulging eyes, or what is medically considered as Graves’ ophthalmopathy, and may require additional treatment.
