Prognosis for Grave's Disease
Graves' disease is a type of hyperthyroidism that develops when the thyroid gland overproduces hormones. This causes physical and mental disruption throughout the body, and can affect the skin system, reproductive system, digestive system, cardiovascular system and brain. Symptoms include everything from bulging eyes to weight loss to mental mania. There are several treatment paths available to Graves' disease patients, and their effectiveness will vary with the severity of the condition.
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Without Treatment
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Graves' disease is a chronic condition and, if left untreated, will not rectify itself and can cause serious heart and eye damage.
Initial Treatment
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Initial treatment consists of prescribing a thyroid hormone suppressant, such as Tapizole, that blocks the thyroid from producing a certain amount of hormone. Dosage can be increased or decreased based on effectiveness.
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Heart Treatment
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Patients who have had high hormone levels for two to three years may be prescribed a beta blocker like Atenolol to reduce the possibility for heart damage.
Radioactive Iodine Treatment
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If prescription treatment is not effective, radioactive iodine treatment may be administered to remove part or all of the gland. This may leave the patient with reduced thyroid function, requiring her to take synthetic hormones for the rest of her life.
Surgery
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In some cases, surgery to remove the gland will be recommended, and a patient will need to take thyroid replacement hormones indefinitely afterward.
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