1. What is hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is the abbreviation of hyperthyroidism, which refers to the clinical syndrome caused by enhanced thyroid function and excessive secretion of thyroid hormones due to various etiologies. The main manifestations of hyperthyroidism include panic attacks, fear of heat, excessive sweating, hyperphagia, weight loss, increased frequency of stools, fatigue, agitation, and enlargement of the thyroid gland. The most common type is diffuse goiter with hyperfunction. The next most common type is autonomic hyperfunctional thyroid adenoma and multinodular goiter with hyperthyroidism.
2. Why does the human body get hyperthyroidism?
At present, the cause and pathogenesis of hyperthyroidism have not been fully elucidated. Modern medical research has proved that the disease is triggered by stress factors such as infection, mental stimulation and trauma on a genetic basis, and is an autoimmune disease.
3. Who is prone to hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism is more common in women, younger people and people with a family history of hyperthyroidism. Clinical statistics show that there are significantly more women than men with hyperthyroidism, and the ratio of male to female patients is about 1:4-6. Although it can develop in all age groups, it is more common in younger people (20-40 years old), followed by older people, and less common in children. The incidence of hyperthyroidism in the family is significantly higher than that in the general population.
4. What are the clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism and what are the risks?
The typical clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism are feverishness, excessive sweating, hyperphagia, easy hunger, emaciation, fatigue, panic attacks, shortness of breath, emotional instability, irritability, poor sleep, protruding eyes, enlarged thyroid gland, increased stools or diarrhea, muscle weakness, periodic paralysis, osteoporosis, decreased menstruation or amenorrhea in females, and a lack of blood pressure. decreased menstruation or amenorrhea in women, and impotence in men. Therefore, hyperthyroidism is not a localized disease, but a systemic disease that affects all organs and systems. If not treated urgently or if the treatment is not standardized, it will seriously endanger the health of patients.
5. Can women with hyperthyroidism get pregnant? Does it have any effect on the fetus?
The regular treatment for hyperthyroidism, whether it is thioureas (methyl, propylthioxypyrimethamine) or radioactive iodine, can enter the fetus through the placenta, which can lead to fetal brain dysplasia and fetal goiter at high doses, and may cause obstructed labor. At the same time, hyperthyroidism pregnancy can aggravate the disease and even cause serious complications, which is extremely unfavorable to the pregnant woman herself. Therefore, women with hyperthyroidism should not rush to get pregnant, but should actively treat it and wait until it is cured before getting pregnant.
6. What should I do if I have hyperthyroidism?
Generally speaking, if a patient has fear of heat and sweating, excessive food and weight loss, excitement and irritability, trembling of the hands and feet, and continuous or frequent tachycardia, she should consider the possibility of having hyperthyroidism and should go to a regular hospital as soon as possible. Once diagnosed, you should follow the doctor’s advice for treatment. Don’t delay the treatment because of light symptoms and don’t go to irregular private clinics or small hospitals to save money, which may lead to missed diagnosis, misdiagnosis or mistreatment.
7.What are the advantages and disadvantages of internal treatment for hyperthyroidism (oral anti-thyroid drugs)?
Advantages: wide range of application, from infants to the elderly and pregnant women; effective in most cases; flexibility of drug treatment, can adjust the drug dose according to the patient’s condition; relatively cheap and easy to accept.
Disadvantages: high relapse rate after stopping medication, up to 50%; some patients have difficulty tolerating side effects of medication; for patients with complications of hyperthyroidism, such as hyperthyroid heart disease, hyperthyroidism with periodic paralysis, and patients with diffuse goiter eye disease, the effect of medication is poor.
8. Can hyperthyroidism be treated surgically?
Hyperthyroidism can be treated surgically. However, with the exception of patients with obvious goiter or clinically suspected thyroid tumors, surgery for hyperthyroidism is no longer necessary because isotope 131 iodine therapy and surgery are both curative treatments for hyperthyroidism, and the latter is a surgical treatment without incision.
9. Why can radioactive 131 iodine treat hyperthyroidism?
The thyroid gland uses iodine as the main raw material to synthesize thyroid hormone, so it is highly iodophilic, i.e. once iodine from food, water or medicine enters the body through the digestive tract, it is quickly absorbed by the thyroid gland, so 80% of the total iodine in the body is concentrated in the thyroid gland. Radioactive iodine is also an element of iodine. When taken orally, it can be concentrated in the thyroid gland as quickly as ordinary iodine, and the b-rays released by it can gradually destroy the hyperplastic thyroid tissue, causing the patient’s thyroid gland to shrink unknowingly and reducing the production of thyroid hormones, thus reducing or curing hyperthyroidism. This is a biological missile type of treatment. Surgery involves removing a portion of the thyroid gland with a scalpel to achieve treatment, while radioactive iodine uses b-rays to destroy a portion of the thyroid gland to achieve treatment. These two treatments can be considered different and similar. However, surgical treatment is bloody, painful and dangerous, while radioactive iodine treatment is bloodless, safe and painless. It is no wonder that some patients call it a “no-incision, no-bleed, no-pain surgery”.
10. Why is 131 iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism safe?
Radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism has no significant effect on bone marrow and therefore does not cause white blood cell reduction; nor does it cause hair loss, affect fertility, cause secondary leukemia, cause malformations and genetic abnormalities, or cause cancer. This is the scientific conclusion of long-term research on radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism by scholars at home and abroad over the past decades. Some bizarre rumors in the society and deliberate exaggerations in some literary works are unfounded and not credible. Although a small number of patients may have hypothyroidism (hypothyroidism for short), it will be corrected rapidly with thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
11.Why is radioactive 131 iodine an excellent and new treatment for hyperthyroidism and what are the specific advantages?
Radioactive iodine treatment is particularly easy, economical, safe and painless. Most patients are treated on an outpatient basis and do not need to be hospitalized. After taking the medication for 2 to 3 weeks, the symptoms will begin to decrease and gradually be cured, without the pain of surgery and avoiding the disadvantages of other medications that require long-term medication and are difficult to cure. It can be said that this one-time treatment method is the easiest and most economical treatment method for hyperthyroidism at present. Even if a few patients have reactions, they can be avoided or minimized if appropriate measures are taken before and during the treatment. Even if a few patients have reactions, they can be avoided or reduced to a minimum if appropriate measures are taken before and during treatment.
The treatment effect is particularly good. The effectiveness rate is more than 98%, and the cure rate (i.e. the cure rate of taking one dose or one sip of medicine) is as high as 70-80%.
It can treat patients with serious complications of hyperthyroidism, such as heart disease, recurrence after surgery or difficulty in re-operation after surgery.
There is no damage to the parathyroid glands, the recurrent laryngeal nerve and other peri-thyroid tissues, and thus no complications that may arise from surgical treatment, such as twitching of the hands and feet, hoarseness and inability to speak. There is no scarring of the neck, and it does not affect the aesthetics.
In the few cases where radioactive iodine has not been administered once, the treatment can be repeated, and it does not affect the switch to other methods of treatment in the future.
No significant toxic side effects.
Because radioactive iodine therapy has unique advantages that cannot be replaced by other methods, it is currently considered the preferred treatment for adult hyperthyroidism, except for patients who are not suitable for this treatment during lactation and pregnancy.
12.What are the indications for 131 iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism?
Indications
1. Patients over 25 years of age with moderate diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland;
2. Patients with ineffective treatment with anti-thyroid drugs, allergy or relapse after treatment;
3. Patients with contraindications to surgery, unwilling to operate or relapsing after surgery.
4.Functional autonomous thyroid adenoma
13.What are the contraindications to 131 iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism?
Pregnant and lactating patients;
Patients with significant enlargement of the thyroid gland with symptoms of pressure;
Patients with hyperthyroidism with recent myocardial infarction;
Patients with severe hepatic or renal insufficiency.
Precautions after treatment of hyperthyroidism.
1. Do not eat until 2 hours after taking 131I orally.
2. Iodine, bromine and anti-thyroid drugs are not allowed for 2 weeks after oral 131I.
3. In the first few days after oral 131I, rest in bed and avoid strenuous activities.
4. Pay attention to dietary hygiene and strengthen nutrition.
5. Within one month, pay attention to radiation hygiene protection.
①It is better to stay in a single room or single bed.
②Do not hug infants and children, and do not come into close contact with their families.
③Use separate household and personal hygiene products, and wash and store them separately.
④After urinating and defecating, flush the urinal with plenty of water to prevent contamination of places and objects other than the urinal.
⑤ Follow-up prevention should be carried out 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 months after oral 131I administration.