Thyroid disease and vascular risk

Abstract

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a common condition seen in up to 10% of adults, mainly women and the elderly. Several prospective longitudinal cohort studies have shown a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in people with SCH but mainly in younger individuals. There are also a number of interventional trials that have shown that treatment of SCH with levothyroxine improves cardiovascular risk factors, but there is a dearth of level 1 evidence regarding cardiovascular events. In addition, there is increasing proof concerning the association of abnormal thyroid function at the time of an acute myocardial infarction with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This review describes the literature dealing with thyroid function in relation to cardiovascular disease and also outlines the effect of treatment in addressing cardiovascular risk.