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New uses for an old hormone
Author(s) -
Selenkow Herbert A.,
Wool Marvin S.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt196674564
Subject(s) - medicine , thyroid , hormone , incidence (geometry) , complication , thyroiditis , thyroidectomy , disease , pediatrics , intensive care medicine , physics , optics
Hypothyroidism is no longer a rare disease. Widespread therapeutic use of radioactive iodine has increased the incidence of progressive thyroid failure to unexpected proportions, and this insidious complication has necessitated critical reappraisal of isotopic therapy for hyperthyroidism. In view of the recognized deleterious effects of hypothyroidism and the well‐known difficulties and delays attendant on its diagnosis, some observations on prevention of thyroid insufficiency by the administration of thyrOid hormones seem justifiable and timely. The indiscriminate or injudicious use of thyroid hormone therapy as a metabolic cure‐all is to be deplored. However, under circumstances which are known to produce a high incidence of thyroid insufficiency, for example, following radioactive iodine therapy or subtotal thyroidectomy for lymphoid thyroiditis, selective use of full therapeutic doses of thyroid hormones to prevent hypothyroidism is indicated.