Hypothyroidism and its Relationship to Heart Disease and Cardiac Problems Essay Example for Free

Hypothyroidism and its Relationship to Heart Disease and Cardiac Problems EssayHershman describes hypothyroidism as a disorder which results from a deficit of the action of thyroid hormone (2009, p. 435). This condition affects the development and knead of all tissues of the body, an important example of which is the nervus. The thyroid hormone is responsible for the crucial regulation of calcium amalgamate into the sarcomeres of myocytes (Rao, 2007, p. 202). The most common effect of deficient thyroid-hormone action on any tissue is well cognize a reduction in the basal metabolic rate.For the heart, this decrease most commonly causes a decrease in heart rate. Other manifestations may include decreased cardiac output, flabby myocardium, pericardial outburst and impaired endothelial function (Hershman, 2009, p. 435). However, for the profoundly hypothyroid patient, the most frequent cause of cardiac anomalies is impaired diastolic relaxation (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Although the fall in rate of metabolism is ubiquitous in hypothyroidism, the heart experiences a disproportional change in demand and supply of oxygen, the supply drops faster than the demand.On the other hand, patients of coronary heart disease who have later developed hypothyroidism have been given either low doses of T4, or no medication at all by some practitioners (Klein, 2005, p. 777) the lowered cardiac load associated with hypothyroidism helps in ominous the stress on the heart. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of hypothyroidism on the heart and on metabolism generally off the beaten track(predicate) outweigh this small concession (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Another complication associated with hypothyroidism is hypertension.The main feature of speech of pathophysiology that results in this manifestation is the change magnitude vascular resistance due to absence of the vasodilating action of T3 (Klein, 2005, p. 776). This brand of hypertension shows decreased sensitivity to salt in take as compared to other forms of hypertension (Klein, 2005, p. 776). Hypertension in a profoundly hypothyroid patient is particularly ominous. The increase serum levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein (a), associated with the low metabolic rate, combined with the increased vascular resistance may lead to coronary heart disease (Klein, 2005, p. 77).However, its the subclinical counterpart of hypothyroidism that represents a major scrap the lack of clear cut symptoms makes the diagnosis of this latent condition difficult. In a recent study, subclinical hypothyroidism was claimed to be an independent risk factor for heart disease in women in their 60s and 70s (Hak et al. , 2000). The main pathophysiological feature is the delayed relaxation of the left ventricle after contractions, exacerbated by endothelial dysfunction and a ineptitude of the arteries (Biondi, 2009, p. 24).Serum thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, and serum free T4 are an appropriate starting point in acquiring a di agnosis of hypothyroidism (Hershman, 2009, p. 436). Myoglobin levels in blood and urine are also excellent indicators of impairment to cardiac tissue (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Serum creatine kinase levels may also be increased, but troponin levels remain convention (Rao, 2007, p. 202). In subclinical hypothyroidism, TSH levels are moderately increased while T4 levels remain normal. ECG shows a general decrease in amplitude and the T wave may be inverted (Rao, 2007, p. 202).The give-and-take of both the latent and overt forms of hypothyroidism, in relation to the heart, involves the maintenance of steady thyroid hormone levels. Levothyroxine is the do drugs of choice in patients with a known heart condition, the dosage of the drug should be given incrementally to spend a stable normal level (Rao, 2007, p. 202). In elderly patients, some degree of cardiac ischemia is assumed present and the dosage is always increased gradually (Hershman, 2009, p. 438). Beta-blockers can be administe red to counter the unhealthful effect hormone therapy on cardiac ischemia, unless counter-indicated (Rao, 2007, p. 203).