Thyroid problems

waltky

Wise ol' monkey
Feb 6, 2011
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Okolona, KY
When Granny got thyroid problems. her eyes bug out...
:eek:
Thyroid drug 'boosts risk of fractures in the elderly'
28 April 2011 - The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine
Many elderly people may be taking "excessive" medication for their thyroid problems, increasing their fracture risk, researchers warn. A synthetic hormone, thyroxine, is given to people whose thyroid glands produce too little naturally. But writing in the British Medical Journal, researchers say having too much boosts fracture risk and doses may need to be reduced as people age. A British expert said there was not enough research into the condition. It has been estimated that 20% of older people are on long-term treatment for an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Patients are supposed to be checked regularly to ensure they are on the right dose, but for many it often remains unchanged into old age. This can lead to people developing the opposite problem, an over-active thyroid - caused by having too much thyroxine - which can increase the risk of fractures, particularly in older women. In this study, a team from the Women's College Research Institute in Toronto looked at 213,500 people aged 70 and over who had received at least one prescription for levothyroxine - the synthetic version of thyroxine - between 2002 and 2007.

'Unexpectedly low'

Participants were grouped into people who were currently on the medication, those who had stopped taking it between 15 and 180 days prior to study and those who had stopped taking it more than 180 days prior. Just over 10% - 22,236 people - had had at least one fracture during the study period. Those who were currently taking thyroxine, or who had recently stopped were at a significantly higher risk of experiencing fractures. Writing in the BMJ, the researchers led by Dr Lorraine Lipscombe, said it suggested medication levels should be more closely monitored "in this vulnerable population".

In the same journal, Professor Graham Leese at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, said ideal thyroxine doses may vary with age and be "unexpectedly low" in elderly people. "It is 120 years since the effect of excess thyroid hormone on bone was first described, yet research in this area still lacks funding," he said. "With the prevalence of treated hypothyroidism increasing, and the annual economic burden of fractures in the United Kingdom currently estimated at £5.1bn ($8.4bn), such research warrants a higher priority."

BBC News - Thyroid drug 'boosts risk of fractures in the elderly'
 
Sometimes Granny takes a pill her doctor give her for when her goiter gets her...
icon_grandma.gif

Do You Really Have Hypothyroidism?
March 3, 2017 - Up to 15 percent of adults over age 65 have hypothyroidism—an underactive thyroid. This occurs when the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland at the front of the neck produces too little thyroid hormone (thyroxine, or T4) and can slow a wide variety of essential body processes, including your heart rate and metabolism.
Commonly associated with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, hypothyroidism is treated with a daily dose of synthetic thyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, and generic). But experts are divided on when it’s appropriate to prescribe the medication and when it's not necessary. Here's what you should know about hypothyroidism.

A Tricky Diagnosis

Hypothyroidism, often triggered by an autoimmune thyroid disorder, progresses slowly and has vague symptoms—cold intolerance, fatigue, memory problems, weight gain, constipation, dry skin—which are often dismissed as normal aspects of aging. Doctors diagnose the condition by looking for elevated levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood. But as with most hormones, TSH levels can fluctuate throughout the day. A second test done on another day, but at about the same time, is needed to confirm any elevation.

The Tussle Over Treatment

Most experts agree that people who have a TSH of 10 milli-international units per liter (mIU/L) or above require medication to normalize thyroid hormone levels. The decision to treat borderline levels (usually considered 4.2 to 10 mIU/L) is less clear-cut, notes Consumer Reports’ chief medical adviser, Marvin M. Lipman, M.D. It’s often based on factors such as the severity of symptoms, a rising TSH, or the presence of an autoimmune disorder. But one professional organization considers levels as low as 2.5 mIU/L borderline. “There’s been a steady lowering of the upper TSH threshold for treatment initiation,” says Peter Taylor, M.Sc., a researcher specializing in diabetes and endocrinology at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. “As a result, there has been a massive increase in people on thyroxine.”

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Prescribing thyroxine to people with TSH levels below 10 mIU/L may be inappropriate, he says. And research from Cardiff suggests that older adults are the group most likely to be given thyroxine for such borderline TSH test results. “We don’t want to give the elderly thyroid hormone unless they really need it,” says Stephanie Lee, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Thyroid Health Center and the Thyroid Nodule and Cancer Research Group at the Boston University School of Medicine. That's because like all medications, thyroxine, currently the most frequently dispensed drug in the U.S., can cause side effects. And some of those effects, such as an irregular or rapid heartbeat and bone thinning, can be especially problematic for older adults.

Getting It Right
 

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