Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHyperthyroidismHow Common Is It?By EthnicityBy Age and GenderCausesMortality RatesScreening and Early DetectionSummaryNext in Hyperthyroidism GuideUnderstanding Overactive Thyroid (Hyperthyroidism)
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Hyperthyroidism
How Common Is It?
By Ethnicity
By Age and Gender
Causes
Mortality Rates
Screening and Early Detection
Summary
Next in Hyperthyroidism Guide
Approximately 1 in 100 Americans over the age of 12 havehyperthyroidism.Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone.
When there is more thyroid hormone than the body needs, the functions of the major organs and systems are sped up. It can affect heart rate and metabolism.
This article will discuss important facts and statistics you should know about hyperthyroidism, including how common it is, who is more likely to be affected, mortality, and early detection.
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Hyperthyroidism Overview
Too much thyroid hormone can cause avariety of symptoms, including:
How Common Is Hyperthyroidism?
One in 100 people in the United States will develop hyperthyroidism.Hyperthyroidism is one of the most commonendocrine (hormonal) disorders, after diabetes and osteoporosis (progressive bone thinning).
Research into how hyperthyroidism affects individual ethnicities is limited, however, it has been established that White people are more often diagnosed with thyroid conditions than any other race.
Although White women are more prone to being diagnosed with hyperthyroidism overall.Graves’ disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, is most common among Black Americans and people of Asian/Pacific Islander descent.
Hyperthyroidism can occur at any age, including in children.Graves’ disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, typically occurs between the ages of 20 and 50.
Women are 5 to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with hyperthyroidism than men.
Causes of Hyperthyroidism and Risk Factors
Themost common cause of hyperthyroidismin developed countries is Graves’ disease. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, resulting in the overproduction of thyroid hormone.As with hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease occurs 5 to 10 times more frequently in women than men.
Other causes of hyperthyroidism include:
People who have a family history of thyroid disease may be more at risk for developing hyperthyroidism. Other risk factors include:
What Are the Mortality Rates for Hyperthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism’s overall effect on mortality is unclear. Though hyperthyroidism itself may not raise the risk of mortality from the general population, it is associated with an increased risk ofall-causemortality (death from all causes) and cardiovascular mortality (death from diseases of the heart and blood vessels). This means that the mortality rate from other causes increases if a person has hyperthyroidism.
Having hyperthyroidism increases the risk of developing heart failure (the heart does not pump enough blood for the body’s needs), which could lead to death.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does not recommend screening for thyroid dysfunction in adults who have no symptoms and are not pregnant.A healthcare provider may test for hyperthyroidism if they believe the person is at risk or has symptoms that point toward it.
To diagnose hyperthyroidism a healthcare provider will take a full medical history, conduct a physical exam, and may order a variety of blood and imaging tests.
Tests for hyperthyroidism includeblood tests to look into various thyroid hormone levels, such as triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroid antibodies.
Imaging tests such as ultrasound can look at the thyroid gland and see nodules or other abnormalities. A thyroid scan or aradioactive iodine uptake testuses ingested or injected radioactive iodine to test the function of the thyroid.
Early diagnosis and screening for hyperthyroidism can help healthcare providers treat the disease effectively. Treatment for hyperthyroidism includes antithyroid drugs, radioactive ablation (removal of tissue), and surgery to remove all or part of the overactive thyroid.
Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone than the body needs. causing a variety of symptoms from increased heart rate to weight loss.
Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. A family history of the disease, diagnosis of other health problems such as diabetes, andoverconsumption of iodine-containing foodsare also risk factors for hyperthyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism Diet Plan: Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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