Outcomes of Untreated Hypothyroidism

Health & Fitness

  • Author Betty Cook
  • Published January 5, 2011
  • Word count 377

Hypothyroidism is commonly a life long situation that requires endless medicine employing synthetic levothyroxine. The medication guarantees that you have adequate levels of thyroid hormones. When the illness is left without treatment the low amounts of thyroid hormone will harm the body, leading to sluggish general metabolism. Listed below are a few of the implications of an untreated case of hypothyroidism.

The thyroid hormones are important in the functioning of the heart since they assist in handling the heartbeat and output. Thyroid hormones calms the heart muscle tissue so that it is competent to pump correct amount of blood through the body. Low levels of thyroid hormones is hazardous to the heart as it could lower one's heart rate drastically. Because of this, the blood vessel walls become rigid and blood pressure level goes up, and might result in hypertension.

For the brain, an under active thyroid can cause depression because of its incapacitating effects on those afflicted with it. Left without cure, it might also trigger the deterioration of the brain and cause dementia, whereby the affected person has trouble focusing and remembering past occasions.

The reproduction system is in addition at risk when hypothyroidism remains without any remedy. For girls, it could impact the ovulation process leading to irregular menstrual cycles. Girls that are pregnant with hypothyroidism faces a huge potential for miscarriage. It may as well bargain the development of the fetus. Therefore, it might bring about birth defects on infants born to mothers with hypothyroidism and result in their slower developmental growth.

The worse case situation for an untreated event of hypothyroidism is a significant, life-threatening state referred to as myxedema coma. The symptoms of this problem are hypothermia, decreasing functioning of the lung, constipation, delirium, urine retention, slow heartbeat, stupor, seizures, fluid formation, and eventually coma. It is a distinctive problem which can be brought on by suffering from serious stress just like surgery, infections, heart failure, stroke, trauma and intense cold. Other drugs like amiodarone, lithium, tranquilizers, and phenothiazines, as well as constant iodine exposure may likewise cause this condition. Myxedema coma is an urgent situation condition and instant medical therapy is very essential. Although it's an uncommon condition, mortality rates are quite large, which range from 30% to 60% with older individuals.

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