Treatment of Graves’ Disease – An Overview - oneGRAVESvoice
Global Search
Global Search

Trusted Resources: Evidence & Education

Scientific literature and patient education texts

Back to Evidence & Education / Patient Education

Treatment of Graves’ Disease – An Overview

key information

source: Graves' Disease & Thyroid Foundation

year: 2012

authors: Robert Volpé

summary/abstract:

Hyperthyroidism may be defined as the excess production of thyroid hormones. The most common cause is Graves’ disease. Less common causes include toxic adenoma of the thyroid, the hyperthyroid phase of thyroiditis, and hyperthyroidism due to hydatidiform moles or choriocarcinoma. Rare causes are pituitary thyroidstimulating hormone (TSH) excess, widespread functioning metastatic thyroid carcinoma, and excessive ingestion of thyroid hormone. We shall concern ourselves here primarily with the treatment directed to counteract the thyroidal overactivity.

Graves’ Disease
This disease is considered to be an autoimmune disorder. The most likely possibility is that it results from a defect in immune regulation causing activation and expansion of clones of thyroid-directed lymphocytes (which normally would be suppressed) to survive, interact with an antigen on the thyroid cell membrane, and then produce an antibody (thyroid stimulating immunoglobin) against the TSH receptor. This antibody has the peculiar (if not unique) capacity to be able to attach to the TSH receptor (presumably by an antigen-antibody union), and then to stimulate the thyroid cells in a manner similar to that of TSH.

 

read more

Related Content

To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close

Powered by

Brought to you by

Supported through an independent
educational grant by

© 2022 rareLife solutions Inc.