THYROID ABNORMALITIES

Course overview

THE GOAL OF THIS COURSE IS TO PREPARE YOU TO DEAL WITH THE COMPLEXITIES ENCOUNTERED WHEN CARING FOR THE PATIENT WITH THYROID ABNORMALITIES SUCH AS HYPERTHYROIDISM AND HYPOTHYROIDISM. HYPERTHYROIDISM (THYROTOXICOSIS) OCCURS WHEN THE THYROID PRODUCES TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE (OR BOTH) THYROXINE (T4) AS THE BODY NEEDS. HYPOTHYROIDISM, OR UNDERACTIVE THYROID, DEVELOPS WHEN THE THYROID GLAND FAILS TO PRODUCE OR SECRETE AS MUCH THYROXINE (T4) AS THE BODY NEEDS. THESE DISORDERS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY EITHER ELEVATED OR DECREASED LEVELS OF THYROID HORMONES, RESULTING IN SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AN ELEVATED OR DECREASED METABOLIC RATE. HYPERTHYROIDISM IS MOST COMMON IN WOMEN OVER AGE 60, AND IT IS EXPERIENCED BY WOMEN MORE THAN MEN. HYPOTHYROIDISM IS TWICE AS COMMON IN WOMEN AND OCCURS MOSTLY IN MIDDLE AGE WOMEN. AFTER DESCRIBING THE NORMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE THYROID GLAND, THIS COURSE EXPLAINS THE ETIOLOGY OF HYPERTHYROIDISM AND HYPOTHYROIDISM AND HOW TO ASSESS THE PATIENT WITH THESE CONDITIONS. (51 MINUTES)