Graves Disease - Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Graves’ Disease Risk Factors

Graves’ disease may impact anyone; however, below is a set of risk factors that heighten your chances of having Graves’ disease: 

• Family history
• Age
• Emotional or physical stress
• Pregnancy
• Smoking
• Being a female

Graves’ Disease Complications 

Graves' illness complications might include:

• Pregnancy-related problems. Preeclampsia, miscarriage, premature delivery, fetal thyroid malfunction, inadequate fetal development, and maternal heart failure are among the potential pregnancy concerns associated with Graves' illness. Maternal preeclampsia is characterized by elevated blood pressure together with other critical indications.
• Thyroid storm. Thyrotoxic crisis, commonly referred to as thyroid storm, is an uncommon but potentially fatal side effect of Graves' illness. It is more common when severe hyperthyroidism is left untreated or receives insufficient care. Many symptoms, including fever, sweats, vomiting, diarrhea, disorientation, extreme weakness, seizures, irregular heartbeat, jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), severe low blood pressure, and coma, can result from an abrupt and dramatic surge in thyroid hormones. Treatment for thyroid storm has to start right away.
• Heart conditions. Heart failure as well as abnormalities in the structure and function of the heart muscles, may result from not receiving treatment for Graves' disease.
• Osteoporosis. Your bones' strength is influenced by the quantity of calcium and other elements they contain. Graves’ disease impacts your body's capacity to absorb calcium into your bones.

Graves’ Disease Diagnosis

In addition to performing a physical examination, your doctor will inquire about your symptoms and medical history, including any family history of thyroid illness. To confirm the diagnosis of Graves' disease, they could additionally request the following tests:

• Thyroid blood tests: These blood tests measure the quantities of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormone in your blood. An excess of hormone is being produced by your thyroid gland if your TSH level is low. Its overabundance results in your pituitary gland producing less TSH.
• Thyroid antibody blood tests: These assays aid in the diagnosis of various autoimmune thyroid disorders. Thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSI) and thyroid-binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII) are the two kinds of antibodies associated with Graves' illness.
• Thyroid uptake and scan: This test involves ingesting a small dose of radioactive iodine. Your thyroid's absorption of radioactive iodine will be measured by your healthcare professional. Elevated levels of iodine uptake may indicate Graves' illness.
• Doppler blood flow measurement, often known as Doppler ultrasound: This test employs sound waves to identify elevated thyroid blood flow brought on by Graves' illness. If you are in a situation where radioactive iodine absorption is not a suitable choice for you—for example, during pregnancy or breastfeeding—your provider may prescribe this test.