HYPERTHYROIDISM: LOOKING BEYOND PHYSICIAN'S PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Hyperthyroidism with its excess circulatory thyroid hormones commonly presents with systemic features like palpitation, weight loss and heat intolerance. This hyperadrenergic, hypermetabolic state with its peripheral and central nervous system affection produces protean neurological manifestations which are generally overlooked by internist. Features of neuropsychiatric nature, cognitive impairment, and dementia movement disorder like tremors or chorea may be presentation of undetected hyperthyroidism. Affliction for muscles presents with proximal myopathy with or without myalgia in 50-70% of long standing hyperthyroid state. Similarly thyrotoxic periodic paralysis due to low serum potassium in adult male is often misdiagnosed as Guillain-Barré syndrome, however replacement of potassium drastically reverse the condition. There is a strong association between autoimmune thyroiditis and ocular myesthenia which post difficulties in clinical diagnosis. Despite of so much variability in clinical presentation attainment of euthyroid state coupled with beta blocker in many situations is helpful to resolve most of the issues.

Keywords: Hyperthyroidism, Grave's, Tremors, Myopathy, Periodic paralysis.