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Levothyroxine, a drug used to treat hypothyroidism, can lead to reduced bone mass and density in older adults with normal thyroid levels, a small cohort study has shown.
Subclinical hypothyroidism is a biochemical diagnosis characterized by an elevated serum TSH level, but with a normal serum free thyroxine level. [48] [49] [50] The incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism is estimated to be 3-15% and a higher incidence is seen in elderly people, females and those with lower iodine levels. [48]
Thyroid disease is a medical condition that affects the structure and/or function of the thyroid gland.The thyroid gland is located at the front of the neck and produces thyroid hormones [1] that travel through the blood to help regulate many other organs, meaning that it is an endocrine organ.
Thyroid function tests (TFTs) is a collective term for blood tests used to check the function of the thyroid. [1] TFTs may be requested if a patient is thought to suffer from hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), or to monitor the effectiveness of either thyroid-suppression or hormone replacement therapy.
Both excess and deficiency of thyroxine can cause disorders. Hyperthyroidism (an example is Graves' disease) is the clinical syndrome caused by an excess of circulating free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, or both. It is a common disorder that affects approximately 2% of women and 0.2% of men.
Free T 4 levels will usually be lowered, but sometimes might be normal. [71] Immunoassay tests of Free T 4 and Free T 3 may overestimate concentrations, particularly at low thyroid hormone levels, which is why results are typically read in conjunction with TSH, a more sensitive measure. [68]
Graves' disease data has shown that the lifetime risk for women is around 3% and 0.5% for men. [39] It occurs about 7.5 times more often in women than in men [1] and often starts between the ages of 40 and 60. [6] It is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States (about 50 to 80% of cases). [1] [4]
Thyroxine, also known as T 4, is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. It is the primary form of thyroid hormone found in the blood and acts as a prohormone of the more active thyroid hormone, triiodothyronine (T 3 ). [ 1 ]