The two goals for medical therapy are to control symptoms and to prevent excess thyroid hormone production. Beta blockers are medications that are used to control symptoms such as palpitations, anxiety, and tremors. These medications are usually given until thyroid function has returned to normal. Antithyroid medications are used to block excess thyroid hormone production. The two drugs used most commonly are Methimazole and propylthiouracil (PTU). Methimazole is the preferred medication because it acts faster and has fewer side effects. Usually, patients are put on antithyroid medications for one to two years. At that point the medication is stopped. If hyperthyroidism returns, as happens in over 50% of patients, a more definitive treatment to cure the disease is considered. The options for definitive treatment of hyperthyroidism are RAI ablation or surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid. Both are effective in the long-term control of hyperthyroidism.
The two goals for medical therapy are to control symptoms and to
prevent excess thyroid hormone production. Beta blockers are
medications that are used to control symptoms such as palpitations,
anxiety, and tremors. These medications are...
More
The two goals for medical therapy are to control symptoms and to prevent excess thyroid hormone production. Beta blockers are medications that are used to control symptoms such as palpitations, anxiety, and tremors. These medications are usually given until thyroid function has returned to normal. Antithyroid medications are used to block excess thyroid hormone production. The two drugs used most commonly are Methimazole and propylthiouracil (PTU). Methimazole is the preferred medication because it acts faster and has fewer side effects. Usually, patients are put on antithyroid medications for one to two years. At that point the medication is stopped. If hyperthyroidism returns, as happens in over 50% of patients, a more definitive treatment to cure the disease is considered. The options for definitive treatment of hyperthyroidism are RAI ablation or surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid. Both are effective in the long-term control of hyperthyroidism.
