Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this episode of Ask a Nurse, I'll be answering your questions about hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid. Such as what causes hyperthyroidism, what are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, and how is hyperthyroidism diagnosed and treated? Hyperthyroidism is where the thyroid gland, which is a small butterfly-shaped organ in your neck, makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs. So the term hyper means above normal, and with this disorder, we have an above normal amount of thyroid hormones being produced by the thyroid gland. Thyroid hormones are required for many processes in the body, including metabolism, heart function, digestion, brain development, and body temperature regulation, just to name a few. And when you have too much thyroid hormones, it causes many functions in the body to speed up.
Signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism include increased appetite, weight loss, nervousness, sweating, heat intolerance, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, insomnia, anxiety, a hand tremor, protruding eyes, high blood pressure, increased frequency of bowel movements or diarrhea. And then some individuals may get something called a goiter, which is enlargement of the thyroid gland, which may cause the neck to appear swollen. Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. This is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system, which is supposed to protect the body, instead attacks the thyroid gland and causes it to produce too much thyroid hormones. Other common causes of hyperthyroidism include thyroid nodules, which are lumps in the thyroid gland that are typically not cancerous but can become overactive, as well as thyroiditis, which is inflammation of the thyroid gland. In addition, for individuals taking a thyroid hormone medication for hypothyroidism, which is underactive thyroid, if the dose is too high, this can lead to hyperthyroidism.
To diagnose hyperthyroidism, your provider will ask you questions about your medical history and details regarding your symptoms. They will also perform a physical exam and order thyroid blood tests, which may include TSH, T3, and/or T4. So TSH, which is thyroid-stimulating hormone, is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in your brain, which prompts the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, which include T3 and T4. Most individuals with an overactive thyroid gland will have decreased levels of TSH and increased levels of T4. However, rare cases of hyperthyroidism can be caused by an issue with the pituitary gland, and that will cause elevated levels of both TSH and T4.
Hyperthyroidism can be treated with medications or surgery. Let's first go over some of the common medications used to treat an overactive thyroid gland. Beta-blockers can help reduce the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as a rapid heartbeat, tremors, and anxiety. Antithyroid medications such as methimazole and propylthiouracil will reduce the amount of thyroid hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland. And then radioactive iodine targets and destroys the cells in the thyroid gland that produce thyroid hormones, but has very little effect on other organs in the body. Following therapy with radioactive iodine, an individual will need to take thyroid hormone replacement pills for the rest of their life. Surgery to remove the thyroid gland is also an option. This is called a thyroidectomy. And just like treatment with radioactive iodine, individuals who have a thyroidectomy will need to take a thyroid hormone medication for the rest of their life.
All right. That is it for this episode of Ask a Nurse. I hope you have found it to be helpful. If so, be sure to hit that like button. And if you have a health topic or question you would like me to address in a future episode of Ask a Nurse, then definitely leave that in the comments. Stay informed and stay well.
