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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffHypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough of certain important hormones.
Women, especially those older than age 50, are more likely to have hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism upsets the normal balance of chemical reactions in your body. It seldom causes symptoms in the early stages, but, over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a number of health problems, such as obesity, joint pain, infertility and heart disease.
The good news is that accurate thyroid function tests are available to diagnose hypothyroidism, and treatment of hypothyroidism with synthetic thyroid hormone is usually simple, safe and effective once the proper dosage is established.
- Hypothyroidism. The American Thyroid Association. www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/Hypo_brochure.pdf. Accessed April 16, 2010.
- Hershman JM, et al. Thyroid diseases. In: Halter JB, et al. Hazzard's Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. 6th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5133014&searchStr=hyperthyroidism. Accessed April 14, 2010.
- Lal G, et al. Thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal. In: Brunicardi FC, et al. Schwartz's Principles of Surgery. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5027159&searchStr=hyperthyroidism#5027159. Accessed April 14, 2010.
- Cooper DS, et al. The thyroid gland. In: Gardner DG, et al. Greenspan's Basic & Clinical Endocrinology. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2629453&searchStr=hypothyroidism. Accessed April 14, 2010.
- Hypothyroidism and myxedema. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology. 6th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5189255&searchStr=hypothyroidism. Accessed April 14, 2010.
- Bauer DC, et al. Thyroid disease. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine. 6th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5371611&searchStr=hypothyroidism. Accessed April 14, 2010.
- Diseases of the peripheral nerves. In: Ropper AH, et al. Adams & Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3641633. Accessed April 24, 2010.
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