hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is the body running with the accelerator stuck down. Too much thyroid hormone pushes metabolism into overdrive, so everything speeds up and the engine overheats.

Typical features follow directly from excess hormone: a fast or pounding heart, weight loss despite a good appetite, heat intolerance and sweating, tremor, anxiety, frequent bowel movements, and trouble sleeping. The commonest cause is Graves’ disease, but an overactive thyroid nodule, inflammation of the gland, or too much thyroid medication can also be responsible. Blood tests usually show a low TSH with high thyroid hormone, because the pituitary tries to dial back a gland it can no longer restrain.

Treatment depends on the cause and may use antithyroid drugs that block hormone synthesis, radioactive iodine to shrink the gland, or surgery; beta-blockers are often added to calm the heart and tremor while other measures take effect. Left untreated, severe hyperthyroidism can strain the heart and bones and, rarely, escalate into a dangerous crisis called thyroid storm.