...Juana Davidson Hypothyroidism Professor Cocimano HTH 1105- 92016 To understand hypothyroidism, you must first understand the function of the thyroid. The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly shaped organ at the base of your neck, measuring only 2-4 inches in diameter. (Sagmiller, 2) The principle role of the thyroid gland is to manufacture, store, and secrete the thyroid hormones, 1-thyroxine (T4) and triidothyroxine (T3). The thyroid is also responsible for storing much of the body’s supply of iodine, which is used to form T4 and T3. The hypothalamus detects a need for more thyroid hormone and signals the pituitary gland to make thyrotropin (TSH). The thyroid then adjusts its production of hormones based on the amount of TSH it receives. When the thyroid does not make enough hormones, hypothyroidism occurs. (Blanchard and Abrams-Brill) Simply put, hypothyroidism is the result of an underactive thyroid. Because the thyroid controls metabolism, regulates body temperature, affects body weight, muscle strength, energy level, and fertility (Sagmill, 206), an underactive thyroid can have significant effects on individuals who are diagnosed with hypothyroidism. There are an estimated 27 million people living with hypothyroidism, the majority being female. Women are nine times more likely to develop this disease, most cases occurring during the childbearing years. (Blanchard and Abrams-Brill, 1491) While not as common; men and children are still susceptible to the disease. After...
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...The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the base of the throat. The thyroid is the largest of the endocrine glands; it has two lobes joined by the isthmus. It hugs the trachea on either side of the second and third ring, opposite of 5th, 6th, and 7th cervical vertebrae. Though the thyroid is small, it has an enormously important job to do, especially for teens. It manufactures the hormones that help control metabolism and growth. To produce thyroid hormones, the thyroid needs a chemical element called iodine that the body absorbs from the foods such as seafood, bread, and salt and from the water you drink. “The entire body contains about 50 milligrams of iodine. About 1/5 to 1/3 of that supply (10 to 15 milligrams) is stored in your thyroid. The thyroid combines the iodine with tyrosine to make important hormones.” Thyroid hormones travel through the bloodstream of your body’s cells. They are important to the growth and structure of bones, puberty and sexual development, and many other body functions. They are responsible for helping your cells convert oxygen and calories into the energy, which is needed to help them work properly. These hormones are important in making sure your body will mature as it should and may affect how your organs function. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothronine (T3), which account for 99.9% and 0.1% of the thyroid hormones present in your blood supply. The hormone with...
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...surgeries: History of Catheter Ablation Atrial Supraventricular Tachycardia 2012. Significant injuries: denies Health Maintenance General health screening: a. Frequency of dental exams/treatment: biannual exam & cleaning; most recent: 5/2015 b. Last eye exam: 4/2015 c. Colonoscopy and rectal exam: not performed d. Lab work: denies any lab work for the past 10 years e. Immunizations: Reports TDaP in 8/2013; received all routine childhood Immunizations. Substance use a. ETOH: denies b. Tobacco: denies c. Street drugs: denies Family History Family History of: a. HTN: mother b. Heart disease: denies c. Hypercholesterolemia: maternal grandfather d. Hypothyroidism: mother e. Cancer: denies f. Diabetes mellitus: mother g. Alcoholism: mother and father...
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...characterized both in clinical and pathophysiological manifestations throughout the body system. The most prevalent causes of hypothyroid disease include various autoimmune diseases, medication for hyperthyroid disease, and having had surgery on the thyroid. Other not so common causes of hypothyroidism include certain congenital diseases, pituitary disorder, pregnancy, or a deficiency in iodine. Hypothyroid disease may be divided into primary and secondary hypothyroidism. When there is a deficiency in the synthesis of hormones or damage to thyroid tissue, primary hypothyroidism results. Secondary hypothyroid disease, rather, occurs when there is not enough thyroid-stimulating hormone available. This insufficiency of thyroid-stimulating hormone could be a result of a defect in the anterior pituitary gland. Secondary hypothyroidism may also be caused by an insufficient amount of thyrotropin-releasing hormone, which most likely occurs due to impairment of hypothalamus functioning. Most patients tend to have a diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism. Most frequently this disease is found in women over the age of 60. Autoimmune disorders put a patient at an even higher risk for developing hypothyroidism, as does a family history of autoimmune disorders. In order to test for levels of thyroid hormone or thyroid-stimulating hormone within the body a blood test may be done. If a low level of thyroxine and an increased level of thyroid-stimulating hormone were the results of the blood...
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...Senior services providers are often able to relate what they have seen and heard to help the doctors in their diagnosis. This first-hand, qualitative account of your loved one's issues are often essential in moving forward quickly with a plan of action. Because chronic fatigue is measured in degrees of variance, a running record of compiled data is often necessary to determine if any treatments are working. Senior services providers are able to chart and collect this data for your loved one. There is rarely a quick fix to issues of fatigue, and several treatment options are often tried before something is found that works. In addition to helping with the diagnosis and treatment of chronic fatigue, senior services are often necessary for seniors to maintain independence and quality of life when living alone if they are suffering from this ailment. Research shows that seniors suffering from chronic fatigue were more than twice as likely to be living alone. These seniors also were more likely to have other medical issues such as incontinence, hearing problems, joint problems, and other conditions which limit self-care and positive...
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...pages doi:10.4061/2011/809341 Review Article Hypothyroidism and Thyroid Substitution: Historical Aspects J. Lindholm and P. Laurberg Department of Endocrinology, Aarhus University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark Correspondence should be addressed to J. Lindholm, j.lindholm@ofir.dk Received 15 January 2011; Accepted 17 March 2011 Academic Editor: Marian Ludgate Copyright © 2011 J. Lindholm and P. Laurberg. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The last part of the 19th century was a period of great achievements in medicine and endocrinology. The thyroid gland evolved from being considered a rudimentary structure to an organ related to specific diseases. The singular importance of iodine became acknowledged. Graves-Basedow’s disease was described. Surgical treatment evolved with extraordinary speed. Theodor Kocher observed that the clinical picture in patients after total thyroidectomy was similar to the one seen in cretinism. In 1850, the first case of hypothyroidism or myxedema was described. Less than 50 years later, effective treatment was introduced. Another 50 years later, autoimmune thyroiditis was ascertained as the most frequent cause of hypothyroidism (in areas with no iodine deficiency). This paper gives a short survey of the history of hypothyroidism and its treatment. 1. Introduction During...
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...UNIT 14 P4 - PLAN A CARE PATWAY FOR EACH PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDER INCLUDING THE ROLES OF RELIVANT PRACTITIONERS Thyroid gland: A gland that makes and stores hormones that help regulate the heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and the rate at which food is converted into energy. Thyroid hormones are essential for the function of every cell in the body. They help regulate growth and the rate of chemical reactions (metabolism) in the body. Thyroid hormones also help children grow and develop. The thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck, below the Adam's apple, wrapped around the trachea (windpipe). It has the shape of a butterfly: two wings (lobes) attached to one another by a middle part called the isthmus. The thyroid uses iodine, a mineral found in some foods and in iodized salt, to make its hormones. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is produced by the pituitary gland, acts to stimulate hormone production by the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland also makes the hormone calcitonin, which is involved in calcium metabolism and stimulating bone cells to add calcium to bone. http://www.medicinenet.com/ Professions involved Many differing groups of clinicians are involved in the care of patients with thyroid diseases. Each hospital will have its own configuration of team members within the thyroid team and this may include any combination of Medical Endocrinologists...
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...Nursing Theory Plan of Care Nursing Theory Plan of Care Transforming nursing research evidence into practice and policy is essential for the provision of quality care. Research utilization is defined as “the systematic process of transferring research knowledge into practice for the purpose of understanding, validating, enhancing, or changing practice” and has a potential to influence attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of healthcare providers and recipients, alike (Matthew-Maich, Ploeg, Jack, & Dobbins, 2010). Most practical nursing disciplines create mechanisms of research utilization that, according to MacGuire (2006), can “clearly explicate the essential nature, meanings and components of nursing so that nurse clinicians can use this knowledge in a deliberate and meaningful way.” There are some difficulties with the process of transforming research findings into practice. Nurses may not know about the research finding, or they may find the changes to be disruptive and resist implementing them. They may not have the appropriate training or funding, or simply may not have the autonomy to apply the knowledge into their practice independently (MacGuire, 2006). When successfully implemented, research findings encourage nurses to make thoughtful and informed choices, to avoid automatic reactions based on old assumptions and practices, and to afford them ability to understand and critique research evidence in relation to their practice. Sometimes, a new idea could be rightfully...
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...Final Exam: Endocrine system case studies UNIT XI: Endocrine Function, Metabolism, and Nutrition Case Studies Case 1 B.J. is a 54-year-old attorney who for several months has been experiencing generalized headaches that have responded poorly to nonnarcotic analgesics. He is also experiencing visual disturbances including blurred vision and double vision. On questioning, B.J. reports that he has gained 20 pounds over 2 years despite no change in activity or eating patterns. About his weight gain, B.J. jokes, “I guess it’s all in my feet. I had to buy new shoes, and my shoe size went from a size 10 to a size 12.” It was determined that B.J. should have a CT scan of his head to assess for a pituitary adenoma resulting in the hypersecretion of growth hormone. Discussion Questions 1. What information from the above scenario would support this possible etiology? The headaches is a possible symptom leading to the pituitary adenoma as this could be putting intracranial pressure on the brain. With also what it appears to be edema in the limbs is another indicator of the hypersecretion. With the use of nonnarcotic analgesics indicates that it has not improved the condition. 2. What other signs or symptoms might be apparent if B.J. does indeed have a pituitary adenoma? Another sign that could indicate the pituitary adenoma is the blurred and double vision. This means that it could possibly be compression on the optic nerve that is causing the altered vision. There could...
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...Symptom Severity and Functional Impairment CPSY 6341 – Psychological Assessment Walden University Symptom Severity and Functional Impairment The treatment of individuals with suspected psychological issues can be a very complicated process. In trying to design the best and most effective treatment plan, a clinician or psychologist must first employ the use of certain tests, which are aimed at examining and assessing the mental status and mental functional ability of a client. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of two tests of symptom severity and two tests of functional impairment. The tests of symptom severity are the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS-2). The functional impairment tests are the Ohio Functional Assessment Battery (OFAB) and the Burns Brief Inventory of Communication and Cognition. Comparing and analyzing these tests will allow for the choosing of which test is the most appropriate for a client who have exhibited several different symptoms that indicates a possible presence of dementia, or a related cognitive deficit. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) Folstein, Folstein, McHugh & Fanjiang (2001) describes the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) as “a brief, individually administered measure mental state, which is an assessable measure of cognitive status in adults.” The purpose of the MMSE is use to screen patients and determine if there’s an existence...
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...Genetic testing is a scientific process in which an individual’s DNA can be screened for mutations or variations that may cause certain diseases or dysfunctions. It is my opinion that standard genetic testing for disease or the predisposition to disease is purely beneficial. Having clear answers as to whether or not a person may carry a higher risk for some diseases may in fact save their life, or the lives of their current or future children. However, over the years of development of the science, more and more controversial types of testing have developed. In this paper, the science of genetic testing will be introduced by going through a brief history, the different types of genetic testing available, as well as the controversies that surround them. History Genetic testing had a very positive and productive start. The first usage of Genetic Testing occurred over half a century ago, beginning with the testing of infants for PKU, or Phenylketonuria, “an inborn error of metabolism in which an amino acid buildup in the blood causes mental retardation.” (Lewis) To test infants, a drop of blood was taken from their heel while at the hospital after birth. If a child was found positive for PKU, dietary treatment was used to prevent loss of brain function. Testing was reliable and results were accurate. The disease being tested for was easily treatable, and every child that came through was tested without a problem. (Lewis) In the 1970’s, doctors began the process of testing...
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...Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, which is the membranous sac that encloses the heart and great vessels. The inflammatory response causes an accumulation of leukocytes, platelets, fibrin, and fluid between the parietal and the visceral layers of the pericardial sac, thus producing a variety of symptoms, depending on the amount of fluid accumulation, how quickly it accumulates, and whether the inflammation resolves after the acute phase or becomes chronic. An acute pericardial effusion is caused by an accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. The fluid accumulation interferes with cardiac function by compressing the cardiac chambers. Chronic constrictive pericarditis usually begins as an acute inflammatory pericarditis and progresses over time to a chronic, constrictive form because of pericardial thickening and stiffening. The thickened, scarred pericardium becomes nondistensible and decreases diastolic filling of the cardiac chambers and cardiac output. Chronic pericardial effusion is a gradual accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. The pericardium is slowly stretched and can accommodate more than 1 L of fluid at a time. Between 26% and 86% of people with pericarditis have illnesses that are considered idiopathic (occurring without a known cause). Pericarditis may also be classified etiologically into three broad categories: infectious pericarditis, noninfectious pericarditis, and pericarditis presumably related to hypersensitivity or autoimmunity...
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...Nuclear Medicine Tammy Angle Argosy University Dr. Demeis In our family we've had seven nurses, and one ER physician, including my Mom, who worked all of her years at the hospital, and then on island when we moved. I worked in several clinics including, neurology, urology, and then my specialty, pediatrics. I've ordered every kind of test imaginable, I've had them done myself due to my health problems, and I've also been with my Mom during several CT scans. She used to joke saying that she was going to be glowing from all of the radioactive medicine infused via I.V. Which is quite common with that test. Nuclear medicine, in my opinion, is a huge reason why people are living much longer today. These tests can be scary, especially for children, but they're necessary for a doctor to have a complete picture so that he or she can diagnose their patients accurately. Nuclear medicine is the application of radionuclide technique to diagnose and treat different types of human disease. It was first used in the investigation of thyroid disease in 1946 by utilizing radioactive iodine to cure the thyroid cancer. And, from there nuclear medicine has grown tremendously! Most doctors that were educated prior to nuclear medicine's debut do not understand how valuable radioisotropic procedures really are in diagnosing their patients. Radiologists must read the results of the nuclear medicine applications, so...
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... A chest x-ray (CXR) revealed no abnormality and lungs were determined to be grossly clear. However, TC was checked for a pulmonary embolism via a pulmonary artery angiogram with IV contrast and found to have a large clot burden with a small saddle embolism. TC also complained of right ankle pain. An X-ray of her right ankle revealed a distal tib/fib fracture, which was presumed to be related to her fall during her hypoxic episode. With these findings, TC was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Kingman Regional Medical Center and placed on an NPO diet in preparation for placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. TC’s past medical history is rather extensive and includes the following: Lupus; Crohn’s Disease; hypertension; hypothyroidism; depression; acid reflux; diabetes; kidney disease; Multiple Sclerosis (diagnosed in 2010); history of DVT (in 2002); and multiple pulmonary emboli. Surgical history includes a complete hysterectomy, appendectomy, and a tonsillectomy. Patient has...
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...classes because a challenge worse than before. Unknown to her present husband, she has had a breakdown before, but as she struggles with her own will and freedom, she searches to find the right kind of help so find a balance in her depressed world. Major Depressive Disorder Major Depression Disorder (MDD) affects thousand of people everyday, and Helen is just one of them. In the film, she is portrayed experiencing the second breakdown she has had after a 12 year span. Although depression is a mental illness that can develop through environmental influences, it has also been noted as something than can also be genetic. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-V) gives the following criteria for a diagnosis of MDD: A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2- week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure. a. Note: Do not include symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations. 1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can...
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