Thyrotoxicosis

Abstract

Thyrotoxicosis is a clinical syndrome resulting from the effect of excess circulating T3 and T4 which ultimately causes an increased metabolic rate. The source of circulating T3 and T4 is usually the thyroid gland affected from a variety of pathological processes. The most common of these are, Graves' disease, toxic nodular goitre and functioning adenoma. Although most types of thyrotoxicosis are due to hyperthyroidism, thyrotoxicosis can also be caused by destruction of thyroid tissue, leading to release of an excess of stored thyroid hormones, and by ingestion of too much thyroid hormone.