Symptoms

Clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, weakness, cold intolerance, drowsiness, slow speech, memory impairment, weight gain, edema, heavy menstrual bleeding, coarse hair, hair loss, dry and rough skin, loss of appetite, and constipation.

In clinical diagnosis and management, the most important step is to clearly identify the cause of hypothyroidism. Most cases of hypothyroidism are caused by autoimmune antibodies, especially thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO antibodies), which is known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Treatment is mainly based on thyroid hormone replacement. Other causes of hypothyroidism include iatrogenic causes, such as after thyroid surgery, after radioactive iodine therapy, or after neck radiation therapy; medication-related causes, including amiodarone, lithium, antithyroid drugs, or immunotherapy; post-infectious thyroiditis; and central causes. Therefore, patients with hypothyroidism are advised to discuss their condition with a physician and undergo further evaluation.

Proper medication

• Hypothyroidism is not treated with a fixed dose of thyroxine. Clinically, some patients need a specific dose of thyroxine adjustment policy. The most important one is to consider whether there is cardiovascular disease, pregnancy and other conditions.
• Older patients with cardiovascular disease need to adjust slowly from a lower dose to avoid increasing the burden on the heart.
• Pregnant women’s demand needs further adjustment because of the physiological changes in the pregnancy process, especially in the first trimester. It is advised to check at the interval of 4-6 weeks.