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Hypothyroidism

  • Chapter
Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Disorders

Part of the book series: Contemporary Endocrinology ((COE))

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Abstract

Early diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism is the exception rather than the rule. Despite its high prevalence (1–3) and potential consequences, hypothyroidism is typically diagnosed in clinical settings at an advanced and often longstanding stage or is incidentally detected during a wide-ranging evaluation for nonspecific complaints. Even when hypothyroidism should be anticipated, such as in patients who have received neck irradiation (4) or amiodarone therapy (5), its recognition is often delayed. Only in neonates, for whom universal thyroid function testing is mandated in most industrialized societies, is hypothyroidism identified early and treated promptly. Application of the principles of preventive medicine to hypothyroidism has occurred slowly, except in the worldwide efforts to prevent dietary iodine deficiency disorders, including endemic goiter, hypothyroidism, and cretinism (6).

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Authors
  1. Paul W. Ladenson MD
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  2. Ruth M. Belin MD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Iowa School of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Robert S. Bar MD

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Ladenson, P.W., Belin, R.M. (2003). Hypothyroidism. In: Bar, R.S. (eds) Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Endocrine Disorders. Contemporary Endocrinology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-378-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-378-1_2

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-414-2

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