This autoimmune disorder causes hyperthyroidism, a condition that can result in a ‘thyroid storm’ and other serious complications.
Graves' disease is a condition that occurs when your immune system makes an antibody known as thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI).
TSI causes the thyroid gland (located at the base of your neck) to produce too much of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).
Hyperthyroidism causes many of your body's functions to speed up. It can accelerate your metabolism and heart rate.
Graves' disease is named after Robert Graves, an Irish doctor who discovered the condition in the 1830s.
Your doctor may perform a physical exam, order a blood test, or use an imaging scan to diagnose Graves' disease.
Graves' Disease Prevalence
Graves' disease affects up to 3 percent of the population, or nearly 10 million people in the United States, according to the Graves' Disease & Thyroid Foundation.
Women are up to 10 times more likely to get the disease than men.
Graves' disease can occur at any time in your life, though it most often starts between a person's twenties and middle age.
Graves' Disease Symptoms
People with Graves' disease have symptoms of hyperthyroidism, which may include:
- Weight loss
- Anxiety, nervousness, or irritability
- Tremors in the hands or fingers
- Sensitivity to heat
- Increased sweating
- Increased appetite
- Enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter)
- Frequent bowel movements
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Erectile dysfunction (in men)
- Reduced sex drive
- Irregular menstrual periods (in women)
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fatigue
Graves' Ophthalmopathy
About 30 percent of people with Graves' disease have symptoms of Graves' ophthalmopathy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
This condition causes the tissue behind the eyes to become inflamed.
Symptoms may include:
- Bulging eyes
- Pain or pressure in the eyes
- A gritty sensation in the eyes
- Reddened or inflamed eyes
- Puffy eyelids
- Sensitivity to light
- Vision loss
- Double vision
Graves' Dermopathy
Graves' dermopathy is a rare condition that causes reddening and thickening of the skin.
It most often occurs on the shins or tops of the feet.
The problem usually isn't serious or painful.
Causes and Risk Factors
As with most autoimmune diseases (in which the immune system attacks the body's own cells), researchers aren't sure exactly what causes Graves' disease.
The following factors may increase your risk of developing the disease:
Other autoimmune disorders: People with other autoimmune diseases (such asrheumatoid arthritis, vitiligo, lupus, or type 1 diabetes) have an increased risk of developing Graves' disease.
Genes: Some people may be more likely to develop Graves' disease because of their family history.
Emotional or physical stress: Severe stress or trauma may trigger the onset of Graves' disease.
Infection: Some scientists believe that some infections may play a role in the development of Graves' disease.
Gender: Researchers are studying whether certain sex hormones might explain why Graves' disease affects more women than men.
Pregnancy: Pregnancy may trigger Graves' disease in some women. As many as 30 percent of young women with Graves' disease were pregnant in the year prior to the onset of their symptoms.
Smoking: Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of Graves' disease.
Graves' Disease Complications
If Graves' disease isn't treated, it can cause complications, such as:
Heart disorders: In some people, the disease can cause heart rhythm problems or heart failure.
Thyroid storm: This life-threatening complication of Graves' disease involves a sudden increase in thyroid hormones.
A thyroid storm is a rare event, but it can result in heart failure and pulmonary edema (a buildup of fluid in the lungs).
In the event of a thyroid storm, immediate medical attention is required.
Pregnancy problems: Miscarriage, preterm birth, fetal thyroid dysfunction, maternal heart failure, and preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) are all possible complications of Graves' disease.
Brittle bones: Graves' disease can lead to osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weak, porous bones.
Graves' Disease Treatment
Treatments for Graves' disease aim to control your overactive thyroid. Some treatment options include:
Anti-thyroid medicines: These drugs prevent your thyroid gland from producing too much of its hormones. Common anti-thyroid drugs include Tapazole (methimazole) and propylthiouracil.
Radioactive iodine: This oral medicine has been used for over 60 years to treat hyperthyroidism. It's absorbed by the thyroid gland and causes the organ to shrink.
Surgery: Sometimes, doctors recommend a thyroidectomy (surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland) to treat Graves' disease.
Beta blockers: These medicines are often used to treat a rapid heart rate, anxiety, and sweating in people with Graves' disease.
People with Graves' ophthalmopathy may need additional medications — usually a steroid, or special eye drops — to help control their symptoms.
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