Graves’ Disease

Graves’ disease is classified as an autoimmune disease. It usually affects the thyroid and may cause enlargement of the organ up to two times or more in size, which is known as a goiter. The thyroid will become overactive and will display the associated symptoms of hyperthyroidism. It may cause the eyes to bulge and may also affect other bodily systems inclusive of the heart, skin, circulatory and nervous system.

It is seen in more females than males and is said to affect as much as two percent of the female population. Having a substantial hereditary factor plays an important part in the incidence of the disease. It is said that if one twin develops the condition the other is twenty-five percent more likely to be affected by the disease.

It is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms experienced. However, a thyroid hormone test may be employed to confirm diagnosis as well as to assess the effectiveness of the treatment.

Causes

The exact cause of graves’ disease is unknown. However there seems to be a hereditary factor that may contribute to the likelihood of developing the disease.

Symptoms

The symptoms may be numerous and may possibly include the following:

• Experiencing an irregular heart beat (arrhythmia)
• Much increased or rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
• An elevation in the blood pressure level (hypertension)
• An increase in appetite
• A strong aversion to heat or heat intolerance
• Experiencing heart palpitations
• Weight loss that occurs despite over eating
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Inability to fall asleep (insomnia)
• Reduction in sex drive
• Having some amount of muscle weakness
• Feeling strangely energetic
• Extreme tiredness or fatigue
• Having double vision
• Enlargement of the thyroid (goiter)
• Easily broken or brittle nails
• Being irritable
• Being unable to focus for long periods
• Restlessness
• Having abnormal enlargement of the breasts.
• Having a rash that appears lumpy and reddish on the lower part of the legs (pretibial myxedema)
• Diarrhoea or increased bowel movements
• Panic attacks
• An inability to conceive or having frequent miscarriages
• Pronounced sensitivity to light
• Swollen eyes or eyelids that may be red
• Amenorrhoea that is not menstruating or having irregular periods
• Experiencing eye pain which may often feel like there is sand in the eye.

Treatment

Treatment for the condition will involve the use of antithyroid drugs such as methimazole and propylthiouracil which will decrease the production of thyroid hormone. Thyroidectomy and radiodine are also effective treatments. Before doing a thyroidectomy measures will be taken to reduce the chance of complications because of the danger associated with operating on thyroid patients. Therefore antithyroid drugs will be administered prior to performing surgery.

Treatment with antithyroid drugs may be given for up to two years to decrease the chance that the condition will return. If the treatment is not applied for an adequate period it may not be successful. An unfavourable side effect of using antithyroid drugs is the possible critical reduction of white blood cells that may lead to death. In the United states it is customary to use radioiodine while in most other places in the world antithyroid drugs are the prefered method of treatment.

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