MedicineNet.com
  MedicineNet home Health news and views Diseases and conditions Symptoms and signs Procedures and tests Medications Health and Living MedTerms medical dictionary  
Font Size
A
A
A


Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Medical Revising Author: Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C)
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Doctor to Patient

Hypothyroidism Symptoms

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr, MD, FACP, FACR

Hypothyroidism SymptomsThe thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ situated on the front of the neck that secretes two hormones, thyroxine (also known as T4) and triiodothyronine (called T3), that are important in the control of metabolism. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce adequate levels of these critical hormones.

Hypothyroidism is very common and is estimated to affect 3%-5% of the adult population. It is more common in women than in men, and the risk of developing hypothyroidism increases with advancing age.

Hypothyroidism is most commonly a result of an autoimmune condition known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, in which the body's own immune cells attack and destroy the thyroid gland.


Doctor to Patient

Introduction to Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. It is named after the first doctor who described this condition, Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, in 1912.

What causes Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a condition caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland. It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body inappropriately attacks the thyroid gland--as if it was foreign tissue. The underlying cause of the autoimmune process still is unknown. Hashimoto's thyroiditis tends to occur in families, and is associated with a clustering of other autoimmune conditions such as Type 1 diabetes, and celiac disease. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is 5-10 times more common in women than in men and most often starts in adulthood. Blood drawn from patients with Hashimoto's throiditis reveals an increased number of antibodies to the enzyme, thyroid peroxidase an enzyme (protein) found within the thyroid gland. As result of the antibodies' interaction with the enzyme, inflammation develops in the thyroid gland, the thyroid gland is destroyed, and the patient ultimately is rendered hypothyroid (too little thyroid hormone).

Illustration of the Thyroid Gland



Next: What are the symptoms of Hashimoto's thyroiditis? »



Printer-Friendly Format  |  Email to a Friend


space Related health and medical articles From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com MedicineNet Doctors recommend space
space
MedicineNet Doctors Recommend Latest Medical News
space


Last Editorial Review: 8/9/2007





Topics Related to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
RSS FeedSpecialty RSS       Add to My Yahoo! What is this?

Fatigue or Something More?Fatigue or Something More?
If you’re feeling tired all the time, the problem may be more dangerous than you might think. See more WebMD Videos »

WebMD Daily

Get breaking medical news.











Health categories:

News & Views | Diseases & Conditions | Symptoms & Signs | Procedures & Tests | Medications | Health & Living | Medical Dictionary

Popular health centers:

Allergies | Arthritis | Cancer | Diabetes | Digestion | Healthy Kids | Heart | Men's Health | Mental Health | Women's Health | More...

Publications:

ePublications (PDFs) | XML News via RSS | Audio Podcasts | Email Newsletters

MedicineNet.com:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Search Help | Site Map | WebMD® | Medscape® | eMedicine® | eMedicineHealth® | RxList®

HON Code We comply with the HONcode standard for health trust worthy information:
verify here.

©1996-2008 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Notices and Legal Disclaimer.
MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.