Hypothyroidism symptoms and treatment in women what tests to pass. Tests for hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland Modern methods for diagnosing VH

The patient should be tested for hypothyroidism. Such a disease is very common today. First of all, this is due to iodine deficiency in the natural atmosphere and, in general, to poor ecology. Genetic predisposition also has an influence. In order to avoid these problems, you need to carefully monitor your own health and its changes.

There is a concept meaning, on the contrary,. This disease always develops brightly, so the neglect of this disease is extremely rare. First of all, it reduces the functioning of the endocrine organ and develops at a low rate and is hidden.

What is hypothyroidism

A group of certain symptoms that occur when the hormonal background of the thyroid gland is disturbed is considered hypothyroidism. As practice shows, not only women suffer from this disease, but the male part of the population is not immune from the likelihood of such a problem. Hypothyroidism can occur in several diseases:

• endemic goiter;

In addition to the disease of the thyroid gland itself, hypothyroidism begins to intensify when the pituitary gland or hypothalamus is impaired. Therefore, if a medical examination revealed the fact of a decline in the hormones in the test blood, then it is necessary to determine the cause of this condition.

There are two main hormones:

These hormones can affect the performance of all human organs, as a result of which complaints with hypothyroidism are of a different nature. In this case, the patient is often sent for a consultation to the wrong doctor and loses his free time. Therefore, when the time comes to make an accurate diagnosis, a person already begins to have serious health problems. From this it follows that the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism should be known to every person, even if he has never encountered such an ailment.

Reasons for the development of hypothyroidism

A disease called hypothyroidism can be both and. In the first case, only the thyroid gland is destroyed, which entails a further decrease in the productivity of hormones. The causes of the appearance of the primary disease are.

Complications of medical procedures as a result of:

• the fact of surgical intervention;
• therapy of toxic goiter with the use of radioactive iodine;
• the use of radiation therapy for cancers of organs located in the neck;
• use as a treatment for a large number of iodine-containing drugs.

Various types of tumors, infectious diseases, inflammation of the thyroid gland, tuberculosis. The disease is hypoplasia, which involves the underdevelopment of the gland due to the presence of defects during intrauterine development. It occurs in infants and children under the age of 2 years.

In the second case, inflammation or traumatic damage to the pituitary gland, as well as the hypothalamus, occurs.

As a result, the process of creating their thyrotropin, which has a significant impact on the reunion process, may be disrupted. After that, there is a significant decrease in its functioning. Very often, a secondary case of hypothyroidism occurs in the pathology of the hypothalamic-pituitary complex.

What tests need to be done

It is well known that the proper functioning of the thyroid gland significantly affects the functioning of certain organs and complex systems of the body. In this regard, it is necessary to constantly monitor her work, and in the event of an alarming phenomenon, immediately undergo an examination by a specialist and take tests for hormones.

Touching upon the moment of therapy of this endocrine disease, it should be noted that it is interconnected with a lack of thyroid hormones. Therefore, the energy supply of a sick human body is depleted at a high rate. This pathology poses a danger to the healthy state of a person, since the lack of immediate treatment increases the amount of glucose in the blood, and with it the likelihood of developing diabetes and heart disease increases. At the time of pregnancy, an exacerbation of an endocrine disease can provoke a miscarriage or affect the developing fetus. Endocrinologists, in turn, insist on urgent medical treatment, which, as a result of correct therapeutic actions, guarantees an effective recovery. The patient then forgets about the disease, but during his life he has to follow a diet for prevention.

Tests for hypothyroidism are a necessary medical study that allows you to identify an existing diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment in any medical case, taking into account the age criterion and the general condition of the patient. Tests must be taken at any clinic in the direction of a doctor or in a private clinic.

It is important to perform a test that determines the functioning of the thyroid gland and reveals the level of its damage.

In addition, you should pass an ordinary blood test, with which you can find out the indicator of thyroid hormones. If such a pathology exists, the hormone level will be much lower than normal. A healthy woman has a normal volume of 9 to 18 ml, and a man from 9 to 25 ml. This volume can be determined by the results of an ultrasound examination, and if a deviation from the norm is detected, it is allowed to determine the degree of development of the disease. The thyroid gland can increase in size during puberty or during menopause. In this case, the indicator will be considered normal. Only after passing tests for hormones, the doctor will be able to prescribe the necessary treatment.

Thyroid dysfunction can lead to infertility. The longer the endocrine disease proceeds, the more likely it is that the changes associated with the level of hormones will become irreversible. Tests for hormones of the endocrine organ may vary. A person may be prescribed tests for thyroid-stimulating hormones, otherwise it is called the pituitary hormone. Its elevated level indicates a decrease in the function of the endocrine organ. If TSH is detected, a study is prescribed - triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).

The drug therapy prescribed by the doctor, based on the results of the tests for hypothyroidism of the organ, cannot be completed at the request of the patient, because this thyroid disease is considered chronic, and the intake of prescribed drugs becomes permanent. Advanced disease can lead to myxedematous coma. In each situation, if there are signs of hypothyroidism, blood and hormone tests should be taken, as well as a test. Their results will help establish the correct diagnosis and reveal the overall clinical picture.

Hypothyroidism is a disease of the thyroid gland, which is one of the stages of a generalized attack of the immune system on the body of the gland. Sometimes the disease proceeds in a monophase, without passing into other pathologies. One of the methods for diagnosing hypothyroidism is laboratory blood tests for the concentration of hormones in it.

Symptoms

Hypothyroidism may not manifest itself for a long time and only in an advanced case show a vivid clinical picture. The tests for hypothyroidism have the greatest influence on the final diagnosis.

Among the pronounced clinical picture of hypothyroidism, it should be noted:

• Weakness, lethargy;
• Indifference to everything that happens;
• Rapid fatigue, decreased performance;
• Drowsiness;
• distraction, poor memory;
• swelling of the hands, feet;
• Dry skin, brittle nails, hair.

All these are the consequences of a lack of thyroid hormones in the body. In addition to laboratory diagnostics, an ultrasound examination of the gland is prescribed; a biopsy can also be prescribed if malignant nodular formations are suspected. Let us consider in more detail what tests show for hypothyroidism.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

Most endocrinologists rely on the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the patient's blood, or TSH. This hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is designed to stimulate the thyroid gland.

With a high level of such a hormone in the blood, it can be concluded that the pituitary gland is working to activate the gland, respectively, the body does not have enough thyroid hormones.

• For Russia, the normal level of TSH in the patient's blood varies in the range of 0.4-4.0 mIU / l.
• American endocrinologists have adopted a new range, according to the results of their research, that corresponds to a more realistic picture - 0.3-3.0 mIU / l.

Previously, the normal TSH range was 0.5-5.0 mIU/L - this indicator was changed to the first 15 years ago, which led to an increase in the diagnosis of thyroid abnormalities.

In our region, it is worth focusing on the first indicator. TSH above four mIU / l indicates hypothyroidism, and below - hyperthyroidism.

On the other hand, the concentration of TSH depends on many other factors. For example, low concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone are observed in oncological diseases of the pituitary gland, since it is not able to produce hormones. A similar picture is observed after a stroke or injury affecting the hypothalamus.

The time of blood sampling has a great influence on the result of the study. Early in the morning, the level of TSH in the blood is averaged, by lunchtime it decreases, and by the evening it rises again above the average range.

T4

Hormone T4 can be investigated in the following forms:

• Total T4 - the concentration of bound and free forms of the hormone T4;
• Free - a hormone that is not associated with a protein molecule and is available for use in the body;
• Bound - the concentration of the T4 hormone, which is already bound to a protein molecule and cannot be used by the body. Most of the T4 in the body is in a bound state.

A comprehensive laboratory diagnosis of hypothyroidism cannot be based only on the study of concentration, since it illuminates the problem only from one side - how much the brain stimulates the thyroid gland. For a full-fledged study, tests for free forms of the hormones T3 and T4 are prescribed.

Total T4 directly depends on the associated T4. But recently, less attention has been paid to it, since the binding of T4 by a protein molecule also depends on the amount of the protein itself in the blood. And since protein concentration can increase with kidney and liver diseases, during pregnancy and lactation, measuring total T4 is not always effective enough.

More attention is paid to free T4 - this is the form of the hormone, which must then penetrate the cells and be converted into T3. The latter is the active form of the thyroid hormone.

If free T4 - thyroxine - is below normal, despite the fact that TSH is elevated, the picture really pushes the endocrinologist to hypothyroidism. These indicators are often considered in conjunction.

T3

As mentioned above, T3 is formed in the cells of the body from T4. This hormone is called triiothyronine and is the active form of the thyroid hormone.

As in the case of T4, the total, free and bound forms of triiodothyronine are being investigated. Total T3 is not an accurate indicator of hypothyroidism, but may complement the diagnostic picture.

Of greater importance for diagnosis is free T3, although in hypothyroidism it is often observed that it remains in the normal range. This is due to the fact that even with thyroxine deficiency, the body produces more enzymes that transform T4 into T3, and therefore the residual concentrations of thyroxine are converted into triiodothyronine, maintaining normal T3 levels.

AT-TPO

Any disease in the body caused by an infection, bacterium or virus, causes an instant response of the immune system in the form of the release of antibodies, which should destroy the foreign body - the cause of the disease.

In the case of autoimmune hypothyroidism, the immune system somewhat incorrectly determines the pathogen, affecting the person's own thyroid gland with antibodies.

In the process of an autoimmune attack on the gland, specific and non-specific antibodies are produced. Specific - antibodies to thyroid peroxidase, they are also AT-TPO.

Such antibodies attack gland cells, destroying them. Since the cells have the structure of a follicle, after their destruction, the membranes enter the bloodstream. The immune system detects foreign bodies in the blood - membranes - determines their source and starts the attack again - thus, the production of AT-TPO occurs in a circle.

Determining these antibodies in the blood is quite simple, and they are becoming the gold standard for diagnosing autoimmune thyroiditis. If the test results show an increased amount of AB-TPO in the blood, it is likely that hypothyroidism is one of the stages of thyroiditis, and this stage can last for years.

Other indicators

These indicators are complex and are often checked together, and when deciphered, they are associated with each other. In addition, the doctor may prescribe an immunogram, a biopsy of the gland and a general urine test.

• The general analysis of urine remains without deviation from the norm.
• The immunogram shows a decrease in the concentration of T-lymphocytes below the normal range, an increase in the concentration of immunoglobulins, a similar picture in a biopsy - there are a lot of antibodies in the cells of the gland.
• Complete blood count - shows an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, relative lymphocytosis - a decrease in the number of lymphocytes.
• A study on biochemistry shows a decrease in the albumin fraction of the protein, an increase in the concentration of triglycerides and cholesterol, globulins and low density lipoproteins.

Deciphering the results of laboratory diagnostics is carried out by the endocrinologist who directs to this study. Any laboratory does not take responsibility for self-treatment of patients, since the results of tests for hypothyroidism, even if the described picture coincides with the received one, are not a clinical diagnosis, but only an aid to it.

Hypothyroidism occurs when the body does not produce enough thyroid hormones. The main analysis in confirming the diagnosis of hypothyroidism is an indicator of the composition of the blood, which determines whether there are disorders of the thyroid gland, whether enough hormones are produced, or there is hyperfunction, that is, more hormones are produced than necessary. Conducted blood tests make it possible to determine the diagnosis and select an effective treatment if a patient has hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism of the thyroid gland. What do tests show for hypothyroidism? About everything in order.

Yes! The fact is that hypothyroidism slowly develops in the body. Its development occurs with a prolonged lack of thyroid hormones. The disease may have hereditary roots, or it may be acquired. This disease may not manifest itself for a long time. A person may not pay attention to her first symptoms, as they are blurred.

Symptoms, if identified, you should visit the endocrinologist's office:

• fast fatiguability;
• loss of appetite;
• swelling of the face, eyelids, legs;
• dry skin;
• indifference, apathy;
• fear of cold.

The greatest danger lies in irreversible changes in intelligence.

Hypothyroidism is caused by insufficient production of thyroid hormones. As a result, the energy potential of the human body is spent very quickly.

If you do not take care of your health, do not take action and do not start treatment, then the percentage of glucose in the blood will increase, that is, the possibility of diabetes and heart problems is open.

Indicators of the level of hormones of a healthy person:

• in a woman, the volume is from 9 to 18 ml;
• in a man from 9 to 25 ml.

Violation of the full production of thyroid hormones can cause infertility. If the potential patient is pregnant and delays in treatment, then a miscarriage or abnormal development of the fetus is possible. Timely treatment of an adult, a child that has not been started with hypothyroidism can lead to very serious consequences.

Early treatment ensures a speedy recovery. In the future, the disease will not bother, subject to a diet for preventive purposes. If you do not pay attention to the symptoms in time and do not start treatment of the endocrine disease, then, perhaps, the processes associated with unstable hormone production will become irreversible.

Hormones are active substances that are very important for the body and are produced by glands, including the thyroid gland. It is hormones that guide the biochemical processes that operate in the body, that is, they are responsible for growth, development, the functioning of the reproductive system, and metabolism.

For normal life, the correct ratio of hormones in the blood is important. The nervous system, in close cooperation with hormones, organizes the work of the human body synchronously, as a single mechanism.

The thyroid gland produces hormones that go directly into the blood. Therefore, to identify problems with its work, when characteristic symptoms appear, the most effective method is blood tests in the laboratory.

Blood tests for hormones, which the laboratory conducts, makes it possible to determine:

1. An indicator of thyroid-stimulating hormones - TSH (considered a pituitary hormone) - is a very accurate indicator of thyroid dysfunction. When the level of hormones in the blood is below normal, the pituitary gland begins to produce TSH, which is a stimulus for the thyroid gland to produce hormones. Increased production, decreased TSH. The hyperfunction of the thyroid gland develops.
2. Thyroxine hormones - T4 (contains 4 iodine atoms, hence its another name - tetraiodothyronine). A quantitative analysis of free thyroxine in the blood is performed with visual symptoms for goiter, hypothyroidism. Low T4 levels are confirmatory signs of hypothyroidism.
3. Hormones triiodothyronine - free T3. Indicators of total T3 shows the content of the hormone in the blood. These indicators are needed for complex diagnostics. In hypothyroidism, free T3 levels are rarely low, usually its content can be normal. An analysis for the quantitative presence of free T3 is carried out when it is necessary to determine what specific changes occur in the thyroid gland, and whether they need to be treated.
4. An analysis for autoantibodies that the body produces in case of thyroid diseases. During the period of autoimmune diseases, autoantibodies are produced, which are destroyers of the patient's own tissues. Here, of course, treatment is needed.

Studies on the amount of free thyroxine during the diagnosis of the initial stage of the disease in hypothyroidism can be confirmed by one of two indications obtained by studying in the laboratory.

In the first indicators: elevated TSH, normal (indicators may be minimally acceptable) free T4.

The second option: elevated TSH, low free T4.

The ESR indicator makes it possible to understand at what rate or how quickly the erythrocytes that have separated from the plasma settle. ESR norms for women and men are different. Normally, healthy men have slightly lower ESR than women.

In patients who have a rapid rate of development of the disease, ESR increases at a slower pace, but if the disease is cured, then the ESR indicator also slowly returns to normal. With high rates of ESR for a long time - this is already a signal that there is a chronic disease and treatment is necessary immediately.

Elevated ESR in the blood indicates the existing pathologies of metabolism and the endocrine system, that is, they develop: thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus.

Before donating blood for analysis, some preparation is required.

You should start preparing a few days before donating blood for analysis.

1. Preparation basically consists in temporarily refusing to eat certain foods. The day before the test, do not drink alcohol, coffee, tobacco. It is advisable not to eat twelve hours before blood sampling.
2. The day before the delivery, do not load yourself with physical activity, refuse sexual intercourse.
3. If the drugs prescribed by the doctor are taken, then one should consult with him which ones can be temporarily not taken before blood sampling, or in the case when it is impossible to refuse, their exact intake is taken into account.
4. Stress is not recommended. You need to take tests in a state of complete rest.
5. If tests are performed on the patient during the initial test for the amount of thyroid hormones, the doctor cancels medications that affect the functioning of the thyroid gland for a period of several weeks.
6. The reliability of the results is affected by the frequency of the menstrual cycle and many other factors. Therefore, the date of delivery of the analysis is set for 4-7 days of the cycle. The doctor may choose other terms in order to obtain reliable results.

Sometimes your doctor may order additional tests to make sure they are accurate. In cases where it is required to monitor the level of TSH regularity, blood sampling is performed at the same time. This allows you to accurately select the dosage in the future, if any drugs are prescribed.

When an endocrinologist compares the visual symptoms of hypothyroidism in various potential patients with the results of laboratory tests, sometimes hypothyroidism is not confirmed. Usually such incidents happen to impressionable, suspicious people. A healthy person should not look for symptoms of any disease in himself.

There is a certain risk group - people who may have the manifestation of this disease.

Therefore, it is these people who, when symptoms appear, are sent for blood tests for the development of primary hypothyroidism:

1. People with a family history, that is, in the family of this person there were or are sick relatives with thyroid problems, diabetes
2. People who have suffered from this disease in the past. This may be a goiter, vitiligo, thyroid surgery, or taking certain iodine preparations, etc.
3. People who have: high cholesterol, low sodium, anemia.

Blood diagnostics for hormones should be carried out in order to detect hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism of the thyroid (with hyperfunction) at the initial stage, when the symptoms are barely noticeable, and prescribe drugs to carry out treatment. Diagnosis is not so difficult, in order to obtain a reliable result, a comprehensive examination is required.

To clarify the diagnosis with the initial confirmation of symptoms, it is required to carry out:

• thyroid scintigraphy;
• puncture biopsy of the thyroid gland (according to indications);
• determine antibodies to thyroperoxidase (if autoimmune thyroiditis is suspected).

Only after that the doctor will understand how to treat a particular case and prescribe the necessary drugs for the patient.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people with thyroid disease. The most common disease in women is hypothyroidism - the production of thyroid hormones in insufficient quantities.

Among men, this disease also occurs, but much less frequently. In this publication, we will describe how the differential diagnosis of hypothyroidism is carried out. We will describe in detail what tests you need to pass and how to properly prepare for them.

The disease occurs when the thyroid gland produces its hormones in insufficient quantities for a long time. Depending on the level of damage to the thyroid gland, there are several types of hypothyroidism.

Consider what is the difference between them, and what reasons lead to this ailment.

Primary hypothyroidism

It occurs due to a violation of the structure and functioning of the thyroid gland, which leads to the production of an insufficient amount of thyroid hormones.

The cause of the development of pathologies can be infections after pneumonia, tonsillitis or other diseases that have entered the thyroid gland through the bloodstream. Another reason is the development of neoplasms in the thyroid gland or the presence of metastases in it.

Definition of the term.

The following therapeutic measures can provoke the development of the disease:

1. As a result of a surgical operation, part of the thyroid gland was removed.
2. Toxic goiter was treated with radioactive iodine.
3. Radiation therapy was used for oncological diseases of organs that are located near the neck.
4. The patient used too many preparations containing iodine.

Another provocateur is hyperplasia - underdevelopment of the thyroid gland during the prenatal development of the child. This pathology is observed in children from birth to 2 years of age.

Early treatment gives quick results. While the lack of therapy leads to serious problems, including irreversible changes in intelligence.

Secondary hypothyroidism

This type is associated with damage to the pituitary gland, which synthesizes thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

The following intracerebral pathological processes lead to damage to the pituitary gland:

• head injury;
• circulatory disorders in the cerebral arteries after strokes;
• development of pituitary tumors.

What does a woman look like BEFORE and AFTER treatment.

Thus, secondary hypothyroidism is not associated with thyroid pathologies. It is provoked by violations in the regulation of its activity by the pituitary gland. When less TSH is produced in the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland reduces the synthesis of thyroid hormones.

There is also tertiary hypothyroidism, which is associated with impaired functioning of the hypothalamus - part of the brain. In the hypothalamus, the hormone thyreoliberin is synthesized, which regulates the activity of the production of TSH hormones by the pituitary gland.

In tertiary hypothyroidism, the following chain is observed: the hypothalamus does not synthesize thyreoliberin - the pituitary gland does not produce TSH - the thyroid gland does not produce thyroid hormones.

How is the disease diagnosed?

In order to make a differential diagnosis between all types of hypothyroidism and confirm a preliminary diagnosis (for example, secondary hypothyroidism), an endocrinologist will need:

To establish an accurate diagnosis, none of the above points should be ignored. We will dwell on them in detail.

What are the symptoms of the disease

Manifestations of hypothyroidism from different systems.

All the symptoms of the disease can be combined into groups, taking into account their influence on one or another system of the female body:

1. Nervous: there is drowsiness, forgetfulness, some lethargy. The lady is subject to frequent depression. She is not resistant to stress and is often lethargic. In the later stages of the disease, speech slows down, it seems to the woman that her tongue is “braided”.
2. Cardiovascular: frequent headaches that can become permanent, lowering blood pressure (average 100/60 mm Hg), pain to the left of the sternum that does not go away after taking nitroglycerin.
3. Digestive - diarrhea or stool retention, liver enlargement, nausea are possible.
4. Integumentary - the skin becomes dry and prone to peeling, the nails exfoliate, the hair falls out intensively.
5. Reproductive - there is a decrease in libido, it is disturbed, mastopathy is possible. With a significant deficiency of thyroid hormones, infertility occurs.

In addition to the indicated effect on the activity of the body, the symptoms manifest themselves in the appearance of the lady. The face becomes puffy, and the eyelids swell. Skin color becomes yellowish. Limbs emanate.

Secondary hypothyroidism does not have symptoms of damage to the organs of internal secretion (ovaries and adrenal glands) - this is a distinctive feature of the primary type of the disease. The lady will have the following symptoms: excessive hair growth, decreased intelligence, intimate disorders, insomnia, and others.

Hypothyroidism has no specific symptoms. Its symptoms are similar to those of other mental and somatic diseases. Therefore, if a woman has the indicated symptoms, she should immediately contact an endocrinologist to establish an accurate diagnosis.

What analyzes will be required?

If you suspect, what tests should be taken first? A doctor will write a referral for tests to a lady after an examination.

However, there is a list of standard tests that must be taken to confirm a preliminary diagnosis.

Tests for hormones

You need to pass the following tests for hypothyroidism:

Expert opinion

Alexandra Yurievna

General practitioner, associate professor, teacher of obstetrics, work experience 11 years.

When a doctor conducts a diagnosis of hypothyroidism in case of suspected hypothyroidism, he will definitely prescribe all the blood tests indicated above.

Much needed analysis

The human immune system produces antibodies during illness. In autoimmune diseases, autoantibodies are produced that destroy the body's own tissues. In hypothyroidism, they will "attack" the cells of the thyroid gland.

The response of the lady's immunity will be the production of antibodies.

Thus, an antibody test can confirm that an autoimmune disorder is occurring in the lady's body. After all, it provoked the production of antibodies. An antibody test is a kind of test that confirms the presence of an autoimmune disease.

Getting ready for all the tests

To donate blood for tests, you need to prepare in advance.

external symptoms.

Experts have developed the appropriate rules:

1. 3 days before donating blood, you need to stop taking drugs that have iodine in their composition.
2. The day before blood sampling, do not drink alcohol, coffee and do not smoke.
3. If the lady is taking any medication, then it is necessary to consult with her doctor. If possible, the day before the analysis, stop taking medications, including hormone replacement therapy. When a woman cannot refuse to take medicines, the doctor will take this fact into account when studying the test results.
4. A day before the analysis, a woman should refrain from playing sports, intense physical activity, and sexual intercourse.
5. You need to donate blood only in a calm state. Therefore, all stressful situations should be excluded at least a day before the procedure.
6. A woman should sleep well.
7. The analysis is taken on an empty stomach in the morning. The recommendation of doctors is not to eat at least 12 hours before blood sampling.
8. If with hypothyroidism the level of TSH is determined repeatedly, then you need to donate blood at the same time of day. So, the indications will allow the doctor to choose the optimal dose of the drug.

The reliability of the results is affected by the day of the menstrual cycle. As a rule, the date of blood donation for analysis is prescribed from 4 to 7 days of the cycle. In order to obtain more reliable data, the doctor may prescribe a woman to be tested on other days of the cycle.

Outcome

In order to identify the disease of hypothyroidism, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive diagnosis. It includes: examination by an endocrinologist, blood donation for tests, ultrasound of the thyroid gland and other studies as prescribed by the doctor.

Analyzes must be taken, adhering to specially developed rules. Then the results will be extremely reliable, and the doctor will be able to choose the best drugs for treatment. We wish you good health!

What do you know about the nuances of diagnosing hypothyroidism?

With such a pathological condition of the endocrine gland as hypothyroidism, diagnosis should be carried out exclusively by an endocrinologist. If we talk about hypothyroidism as such, then this disease is a chronic form of insufficient production of thyroid hormones. As a result of these processes, there is a decrease in the intensity of metabolic processes and some functions of the human body.

If we talk about the classification of pathological processes occurring in the thyroid gland, then it is carried out, taking into account the primary causes that led to the malfunction of the organ.

Primary hypothyroidism is understood as diseases associated with pathologies of the endocrine gland itself. This should include:

• violations in the process of formation and development of the thyroid gland of a congenital nature;
• existing deviations of a genetic nature;
• development of inflammatory and autoimmune processes in the endocrine gland;
• lack of iodine in the body.

Specialists call secondary hypothyroidism such a disorder caused by damage to the pituitary gland, as a result of which the latter ceases to produce the hormone TSH. Such lesions of the pituitary gland include:

• congenital underdevelopment of the organ;
• previous brain injuries that led to damage to the pituitary gland;
• extensive bleeding;
• malignant tumors in the pituitary gland;
• brain infections.

As for the symptoms of the disease, at the initial stage of its development, general signs of pathology appear:

• state of lethargy and drowsiness;
• lethargy;
• weakened memory;
• the occurrence of constipation, which is associated with a decrease in the sensitivity of smooth muscle tissues of the digestive system to stimulating signals of the nervous system;
• with hypothyroidism, there is a decrease in sexual desire;
• women have menstrual irregularities.

Hypothyroidism may also be suspected if there are changes in the functioning of the central nervous system, due to which:

• a person has a sleep disturbance at night and a state of drowsiness occurs during the daytime;
• intellectual abilities and memory decrease;
• a depressive state develops;
• reflexes are reduced.

Diagnosis of the patient's condition

If any of the above symptoms occur, patients should immediately consult a doctor. Such haste is due to the fact that a quick visit to the doctor will avoid the development of complications in the patient's condition, which can occur with hypothyroidism.

Collection of medical history and examination of the patient

It should be noted that the collection of evidence that there has been a decrease in the functions of the endocrine gland, or the diagnosis of hypothyroidism begins with the fact that the attending physician collects the patient's medical history and examines him.

As part of the history taking, the attending physician, when communicating with the patient, receives information about past diseases, cases of endocrine gland diseases among family members, place of residence, field of activity and diet.

After that, the patient is examined, in which the emphasis is on the appearance of the patient, his body weight, the condition of the skin, hair and nails. In addition, the attending physician probes the thyroid gland.

Only after an external examination and history taking, the doctor directs the patient to laboratory tests. Do not self-diagnose. After all, only a doctor knows what tests need to be done with hypothyroidism.

Blood tests for hypothyroidism

Experts consider a blood test for hypothyroidism to be one of the most important research methods, which allows you to identify violations in the work of the endocrine gland and the adequacy of the process of hormone production. Blood tests in this pathology allow us to assess the content of TSH, T4 total and T4 free, total and free T3, as well as the level of thyroid autoantibodies.

General blood test

The first thing that a patient gives if hypothyroidism is suspected is a complete blood count. This study allows you to determine the increase in the level of ESR, the relative level of lymphocytosis and eosinophilia. In addition to the general blood test, the patient must pass a number of other tests.

Tests for TSH

Opening the question of what tests for hypothyroidism should be given to the patient, one cannot fail to mention the study on the content of TSH hormones, as well as total and free T3 and T4 hormones. Such tests for hormones make it possible to understand whether a person suffers from a specified disease. After all, hypothyroidism refers to a condition in which an insufficient amount of hormones is produced or not produced at all.

Normal TSH levels range from 0.4 to 4.0 mIU/L. For American doctors, normal TSH levels range from 0.3 to 3.0 mIU/L. The level of TSH in hypothyroidism corresponds to a value below the established norm. If the obtained value of thyroid-stimulating hormones is below normal, then this indicates that the pituitary gland is not able to stimulate the thyroid gland. As a result, thyroid hormones also fall. Thus, in hypothyroidism, the results obtained and the established norm do not coincide. In this case, the deviation occurs in a smaller direction. To obtain objective results, it is recommended to take tests on an empty stomach before 11 am.

Assessment of the level of T3 and T4

Arguing on the topic that if hypothyroidism is suspected, what tests the patient should take, one cannot fail to mention that the diagnosis of thyroid dysfunction is carried out both by total and free T3. These tests are not suitable for determining an accurate diagnosis. However, through them, a comprehensive assessment of the patient's condition is carried out.

It should be noted that the general T3 norm depends on the gender and age of the patient. So, in women and men over the age of 19, the general T3 norm corresponds to a value of 0.9-1.8 ng / ml. As for free T3, here the norm varies from 3.5 to 8.0 pg / ml.

An analysis for total T4 has recently been very actively used to diagnose hypothyroidism. However, today it is not considered as useful and informative as it used to be. In the vast majority of cases, total T4 hormonal deficiency is not an indicator of hypothyroidism.

More useful from a diagnostic point of view in this case is the analysis for free T4. It is for him that they determine and it is he who needs to be taken to detect hypothyroidism. It should be noted that for general T4, the norm is 5.5-11 ng / ml, and for free T4 - 0.8-1.8 ng / ml. The patient's condition is determined based on these numbers.

To assess the level of T3 and T4 hormones, it is necessary to take tests, as in the case of TSH, in the morning on an empty stomach. Only if the specified condition is met, their results will be informative.

Test for the presence of antibodies to TPO

In addition to these tests, patients donate blood to assess the level of antibodies to thyroperoxidase (TPO). TPO is an enzyme and is required in order to synthesize the hormones T3 and T4 (thyroxine). Antibodies, in turn, destroy this enzyme. Therefore, with the development of an autoimmune process that provoked hypothyroidism, the presence of antibodies to TPO is detected. In turn, the autoimmune process is understood as the development of inflammatory phenomena in the blood.