Lesson 2: Signs and Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
Students will learn to identify the signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism and they'll learn how signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe. Included are discussions of subclinical hyperthyroidism and thyroid storm. Students will learn how symptoms can change over time and they'll learn the difference between thyrotoxicosis and hyperthyroidism.
Topics include:
Thyrotoxicosis vs hyperthyroidism
Signs of hyperthyroidism
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism
The disease course; waxing and waning
Subclinical hyperthyroidism
Thyroid storm
Discussion Topics
Introduction
Hyperthyroidism causes a number of different signs and symptoms that can also be seen in other conditions. For instance, people with hyperthyroidism frequently have headaches, anxiety, nervousness, and hypertension. Often, these symptoms are categorized and treated for months to years before the underlying thyroid disorder is discovered. In this lesson, we'll learn about these signs and symptoms.
Signs are the physiological changes that a physician notes during an examination, such as heart rate, blood pressure and flushed skin. Symptoms are characteristics observed by the patient such as irritability or nervousness. Hyperthyroidism is associated with a wide range of signs and symptoms. Patients with hyperthyroidism are said to be unique because no patients have the same signs and symptoms.
Certain characteristics of hyperthyroid disorders, such as apathy and depression, are more likely to be seen in older patients whereas younger patients are more likely to have nervousness and goiter, which is a condition of thyroid gland enlargement. And while men are less likely to develop hyperthyroidism than women, they often have more severe symptoms.
This lesson focuses on the signs and symptoms that are seen in conditions of both hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxicosis. In this course, students will learn the difference between hyperthyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland's activity is increased, and thyrotoxicosis, which is a condition caused by symptoms of excess thyroid hormone. Students will learn how it can be that not everyone with thyrotoxicosis has hyperthyroidism.
In addition, students will learn the many physiological effects of thyroid hormone, and they'll be shown why excess thyroid hormone causes certain physical and psychological effects. Students will also learn how certain signs and symptoms, such as skin changes and congestion, are seen in autoimmune thyroid disorders. These symptoms are related to the autoimmune aspect of the disease rather than excess thyroid hormone.
Students will also learn about the development and disease course in hyperthyroidism and they’ll learn how the severity of symptoms can vary from day to day. This pattern is referred to by the term waxing and waning, which typically characterizes hyperthyroidism. Students will also learn how hyperthyroidism can range from a mild subclinical disorder to a potentially fatal syndrome known as thyroid storm.
In the last section of this course, students are introduced to thyroid storm, a condition typified by the extreme effects of excess thyroid hormone. In thyroid storm, thyroid hormone levels aren't unusually high, but certain circumstances cause the tissues to be more receptive to the effects of thyroid hormone. Students will learn how to recognize the symptoms and signs of thyroid storm and they'll learn what events can trigger thyroid storm.
