Is thyrotoxicosis dangerous?

The thyroid gland is an important endocrine organ located in the front of the neck. Despite its small size, it plays an important role in the body. When the thyroid gland is poisoned, its function will be significantly affected.

Thyroid toxicity is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone from any cause, including hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is just one of the diseases of thyrotoxicosis, but sometimes the two concepts are confused.

Symptoms and signs of thyroid gland will depend a lot on the cause of the disease, also vary in extent between different individuals. The following are the most common symptoms and signs of thyroid toxicity:
Nervous complaints, irritability, restlessness Fear of heat, sweating Fatigue, weakness, cramps Abdominal swelling Weight changes body (often emaciated) May palpitations or angina In women with menstrual irregularities Graves' disease often has signs of goiter (whispering) Graves' disease eye disease manifests on Common clinical features are conjunctival edema, conjunctivitis and mild protrusion Chronic thyrotoxicosis can cause osteoporosis. There may be clubfoot and swelling (club finger) In addition, thyrotoxicosis may also present with signs such as staring, von Graefe's sign, tremors, hot, moist skin, tachycardia or fluttering. atrial fibrillation, increased tendon reflexes, soft hair, brittle nails, and heart failure (more rarely).

To identify thyrotoxicosis and the patient's health condition, doctors often use the following methods:
Test The sensitive TSH test is the best test for identifying toxicity armor. This test allows to determine the T3, T4 parameters of the thyroid gland. In cases where serum T3, serum T4 is elevated, free T4 is elevated or the T4 concentration may be normal but T3 is high, it is identified as having thyrotoxicosis.
In addition, doctors may also assign patients other abnormal tests such as hypercalcemia, increased alkaline phosphatase, anemia and agranulocytosis.
Imaging Diagnosis Orbital MRI is an imaging method of choice, often chosen to diagnose Graves eye diseases affecting the extraocular muscles. At the same time, CT scan and ultrasound can also be used to give the most accurate examination results.
Diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis by imaging is usually required in severe cases or pterygium with hypothyroidism. However, this case still needs to be differentiated from bulging eyes due to tumor or other diseases.

Differential diagnosis The differential diagnosis of patients with thyrotoxicosis will need to be indicated in the following cases:
Increased serum thyroxine without causing clinical manifestations. Thyroid psychosis was not enlarged and thyroid function tests were normal. In patients with acute psychosis, approximately 30% of cases develop hyperthyroxine in the absence of thyrotoxicosis. Therefore, patients need to make a differential diagnosis between psychosis and true hyperthyroidism by measuring TSH.

Thyroid toxicity is a dangerous disease that will cause serious complications if not treated appropriately. In which, the most common complication is cardiac complications including atrial fibrillation combined with uncontrollable left ventricular response.
Besides, thyroid toxicity also causes complications such as:
Hyperkalemia, osteoporosis and renal calcium infection. In men, there may be decreased sex drive, impotence, decreased sperm count and enlarged breasts.

In patients with subclinical thyrotoxicosis, i.e. low TSH but normal free T4 and clinically euthyroid, no treatment is required. Because in these patients no increase in bone loss was observed.
As for the treatment of thyrotoxicosis, it will be changed depending on the cause of the patient's age, clinical condition, requirements and disease severity. However, the most commonly used treatment methods for thyrotoxicosis today are
Use of Propranolol, Use of thiourea drugs. Using contrast agents containing radioactive iodine 131I. Thyroid surgery In which, radioactive iodine treatment is a widely accepted method, while thyroid surgery to treat Graves' disease and toxic nodules is less commonly applied. Thyroid surgery is often performed in pregnant women in whom small doses of thiourea fail to control thyrotoxicosis, in patients with very large goiters, and when malignancy is suspected.
Thyroid surgery can face complications such as damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve causing paralysis of the vocal cords. Therefore, thyroid surgery for patients should be performed as an inpatient and monitored for at least one night.

Currently, at Vinmec International General Hospital, screening and screening for thyroid diseases are carried out to help customers detect diseases early and treat them effectively. When registering for screening and screening for thyroid diseases, customers will receive:
Examination and consultation with an Endocrinologist. Thyroid ultrasound. Screening tests for thyroid diseases: FT3, FT4, TSH, Anti – TPO, Anti TG. Return the results and consult with the doctor. To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, please book an appointment on the website for service.