Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland makes more hormone than the body needs. The excess thyroxine accelerates metabolism, which can affect nearly every organ system. It is particularly common in populations where autoimmune thyroid disease is more prevalent.
Medicine used to treat Hyperthyroidism
Key points
- Protruding or wide-looking eyes can accompany the condition and often point to Graves’ disease as the underlying cause.
- Two antithyroid medicines work the same way since the body converts one into the other after dosing.
- Course length usually spans twelve to eighteen months, with the dose adjusted along the way as hormone levels settle.
What the overactive thyroid feels like
The signs come on gradually and are easy to dismiss early. A persistently fast or irregular heartbeat, unexplained weight loss despite a good appetite, and feeling hot when others do not are the classic cluster. Anxiety, trembling hands, loose stools, and disturbed sleep are also common. In some people the eyes appear wider or begin to protrude, a feature associated with Graves’ disease, the most frequent cause.
Bringing hormone levels down
Antithyroid medicines are usually the first approach. They work by blocking the thyroid’s ability to synthesise new hormone. Carbimazole and thiamazole are the two drugs most widely used for this; carbimazole is converted in the body to thiamazole, so both act through the same mechanism. Treatment typically continues for twelve to eighteen months, during which the dose is adjusted as levels normalise. More information on the thyroid health category page covers the broader range of options available.
If a heartbeat becomes very fast or you develop a fever with a sore throat while on antithyroid treatment, seek medical attention promptly, as these need assessment without delay.
Further reading
Last updated