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By Lindsay Braun, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A mildly underactive thyroid could mean an increased risk of heart failure.
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A new study shows patients who have subclinical hypothyroidism, a mildly underactive thyroid, are twice as likely to suffer from heart failure compared to those who have normally functioning thyroids.
Although this isnt the first study linking thyroid conditions to heart trouble, it is one of the first to confirm underactive thyroid is directly linked to heart failure. One study that was published several years ago found that mild thyroid troubles were associated with heart failure. Whats important with this newer study is that it confirms those findings in a larger number of patients, Doug Bauer, M.D., author of the study and Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, tells Ivanhoe.
Mildly underactive thyroid is usually only detectable by having a blood test to evaluate the bodys levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The Cardiovascular Health Study collected data from more than 3,000 adults 65 years and older. Researchers followed the study participants for 12 years to determine if those individuals who had subclinical hypothyroidism were more likely to develop heart failure. Their research indicated individuals with a TSH level equal or greater than 10 milliunits per liter were at double the risk of developing heart failure compared to participants who had normal TSH levels.
Researchers say these finds will provide valuable information to physicians treating patients with underactive thyroids. We found out that there is a relationship between the two and clinicians may not be aware of this link, Dr. Bauer tells Ivanhoe. I think the reason its important is because mild thyroid problems and heart failure are two very common conditions, particularly in the elderly.
If youre known to have mild thyroid problems, your clinician ought to be on the look out for heart problems, Dr. Bauer says. Although treating thyroid problems could be an effective way to reduce ones risk of heart failure, its too soon to know if universal thyroid screening would be beneficial. Its premature to suggest we go out and start looking in healthy people for mild thyroid problems, Dr. Bauer says.
Researchers say the next step is to look at how effective treating underactive thyroid is in actually preventing heart failure.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with Doug Bauer, M.D.; The 78th Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association in New York, N.Y., Oct. 3-7, 2007
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