Hyperthyroidism is an elevation in the serum thyroid hormones T3 and T4 (thyroxine), caused by excess thyroid hormone production from the thyroid gland. This can result from an abnormal thyroid gland (primary hyperthyroidism) or increased synthesis of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by the anterior pituitary gland (secondary hyperthyroidism) or by overdosing on thyroid medication (exogenous hyperthyroidism). The latter is common because thyroid hormone is an effective agent for losing weight, since it increases the basal metabolic rate.

Although less common than other endocrine disorders like diabetes and Cushing syndrome, hyperthyroidism is one of the most dramatic presentations you will see in all of clinical medicine, with its bulging eyes and goiter, sweatiness, and hyperactivity. Let’s discuss its causes, diagnosis, and management.

After listening to this Audio Brick, you should be able to:

Define hyperthyroidism and describe its typical clinical features.

Explain the common causes of primary, secondary, and exogenous hyperthyroidism.

Describe the pathogenesis and histologic features of Graves disease and toxic multinodular goiter, and describe their unique clinical findings.

Describe the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.

Outline the basic management of hyperthyroidism.

You can also check out the original brick from our Endocrine collection, which is available for free.

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from our Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue collection, which is available for free.

Learn more about Rx Bricks by signing up for a free USMLE-Rx account: www.usmle-rx.com

You will get 5 days of full access to our Rx360+ program, including nearly 800 Rx Bricks.  After the 5-day period, you will still be able to access over 150 free bricks, including the entire collections for General Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.