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Contents
  • Medications and Thyroid Hormones
  • Impact on Thyroid Function Tests
  • Cytokines and Inflammation

How Do Medications Affect Thyroid Function During Illness?

How Do Medications Affect Thyroid Function During Illness?

The Big Picture

Discover how certain medications can alter thyroid function tests during illness. This article will help you understand the potential impacts of common drugs on your thyroid.
Contents
  • Medications and Thyroid Hormones
  • Impact on Thyroid Function Tests
  • Cytokines and Inflammation

Medications and Thyroid Hormones

Certain drugs used during hospitalization or illness can affect thyroid hormone levels. Medications like glucocorticoids, dopamine, and dobutamine can alter thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. These drugs might lead to low TSH levels, which can be mistaken for thyroid dysfunction.

Impact on Thyroid Function Tests

Drugs such as heparin and NSAIDs can interfere with thyroid function tests. These medications affect the proteins that bind thyroid hormones, leading to misleading test results. It's important for healthcare providers to consider these interactions when interpreting thyroid tests during illness.
Changes in thyroid function tests due to medication interactions during illness.

Cytokines and Inflammation

Inflammation caused by cytokines can also impact thyroid function. Cytokines can reduce the production of thyroid-releasing hormone in the brain, leading to lower TSH levels. This effect complicates the interpretation of thyroid tests in sick patients.

FAQs

Which drugs affect thyroid hormone levels?

Glucocorticoids, dopamine, and dobutamine can lower TSH levels.

How do drugs interfere with thyroid tests?

Drugs like heparin and NSAIDs affect hormone-binding proteins, altering test results.

Can inflammation impact thyroid function?

Yes, cytokines from inflammation can lower thyroid-releasing hormone production.

Wrapping Up

Are your medications affecting your thyroid tests during illness?
Consider discussing with Doctronic how your medications might impact your thyroid function!
Additional References
  1. Stockigt JR, Guidelines for diagnosis and monitoring of thyroid disease: nonthyroidal illness, Clin Chem 1996; 42:188.
  2. Moura Neto A, Zantut-Wittmann DE, Abnormalities of Thyroid Hormone Metabolism during Systemic Illness: The Low T3 Syndrome in Different Clinical Settings, Int J Endocrinol 2016; 2016:2157583.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic.