What is hyperthyroidism?

What is hyperthyroidism?

• A. Excessive production of thyroid hormones.
• B. Insufficient production of thyroid hormones.
• C. Normal production of thyroid hormones.
• D. Excessive production of parathyroid hormones.

Answer: (A)

Hyperthyroidism is a state in which the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone (T3 and T4). These hormones raise the body's metabolic rate, so people often experience weight loss with heat intolerance, sweating, rapid or irregular heartbeat, anxiety, tremors, and sometimes a goiter. The excess thyroid hormones usually come from conditions like Graves’ disease or toxic nodular goiter, and the high levels feed back to reduce TSH from the pituitary. The other descriptions don’t fit: too little thyroid hormone would slow metabolism and cause fatigue and weight gain; normal production is euthyroid; and too much parathyroid hormone involves calcium regulation, not the thyroid.

Hyperthyroidism is a state in which the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone (T3 and T4). These hormones raise the body's metabolic rate, so people often experience weight loss with heat intolerance, sweating, rapid or irregular heartbeat, anxiety, tremors, and sometimes a goiter. The excess thyroid hormones usually come from conditions like Graves’ disease or toxic nodular goiter, and the high levels feed back to reduce TSH from the pituitary. The other descriptions don’t fit: too little thyroid hormone would slow metabolism and cause fatigue and weight gain; normal production is euthyroid; and too much parathyroid hormone involves calcium regulation, not the thyroid.