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Diseases » Graves Disease » Summary
 

What is Graves Disease?

Contents
  1. Graves Disease: Introduction
  2. Types of Graves Disease
  3. Prognosis
  4. Complications
  5. Prevalence
  6. Other names for Graves Disease
  7. Who gets Graves Disease?
  8. What causes Graves Disease?
  9. What are the symptoms of Graves Disease?
  10. Organs Affected by Graves Disease
  11. Can anyone else get Graves Disease?
  12. How is it treated?
  13. Graves Disease: Introduction

What is Graves Disease?

  • Graves Disease: is an autoimmune disease characterized by hyperthyroidism due to circulating autoantibodies. Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins (TSIs) bind to and activate thyrotropin receptors, causing the thyroid gland to grow and the thyroid follicles to increase synthesis of thyroid hormone.
  • Graves Disease: Hyperthyroidism associated with diffuse hyperplasia of the thyroid gland (goiter), resulting from production of antibodies that are directed against the thyrotropin receptor complex of the follicular epithelial cells. As a result, the thyroid gland enlarges and secrets increased amounts of thyroid hormones. --2004
    Source - Diseases Database
  • Graves Disease: exophthalmos occurring in association with goiter; hyperthyroidism with protrusion of the eyeballs.
    Source - WordNet 2.1

Graves Disease: Introduction

Types of Graves Disease:

Broader types of Graves Disease:

How many people get Graves Disease?

Prevalance of Graves Disease: 3,048,636 people in the USA 1996 1; 1.3 million people (NWHIC)
Prevalance Rate of Graves Disease: approx 1 in 89 or 1.12% or 3 million people in USA [about data]
Incidence (annual) of Graves Disease: about 5 per 10,000 people (NWHIC)
Incidence Rate of Graves Disease: approx 1 in 2,000 or 0.05% or 136,000 people in USA [about data]
Incidence of Graves Disease: The incidence is about 5 in 10,000 people. (Source: excerpt from Graves' Disease: NWHIC)

Who gets Graves Disease?

Gender Profile for Graves Disease: Women 7:1; ranges from 4:1 to 8:1 (NWHIC)

Gender Ratio for Graves Disease: female:male 8:1

How serious is Graves Disease?

Prognosis of Graves Disease: Most patients become hypothyroid and require replacement. Similarly, the ophthalmopathy generally becomes quiescent. On occasion, hyperthyroidism returns because of persisting thyroid tissue after ablation and high antibody titers of anti-TSI. Further therapy may be necessary in the form of surgery or radioactive iodine ablation.
Complications of Graves Disease: see complications of Graves Disease
Prognosis of Graves Disease: If left untreated, Graves' disease can be fatal. In most cases, however, normal health can be restored. (Source: excerpt from Endocrine Diseases: NWHIC)

What causes Graves Disease?

Causes of Graves Disease: see causes of Graves Disease
Risk factors for Graves Disease: see risk factors for Graves Disease

What are the symptoms of Graves Disease?

Symptoms of Graves Disease: see symptoms of Graves Disease

Complications of Graves Disease: see complications of Graves Disease

Onset of Graves Disease: Graves's disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. Incidence in women reports a rate of 80 cases per 100,000 women per year.

Can anyone else get Graves Disease?

Contagion of autoimmunity: generally not; see details in contagion of autoimmune diseases.

Graves Disease: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Graves Disease.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Graves Disease.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Graves Disease: see treatments for Graves Disease
Prevention of Graves Disease: see prevention of Graves Disease
Research for Graves Disease: see research for Graves Disease

Organs Affected by Graves Disease:

Organs and body systems related to Graves Disease include:

Name and Aliases of Graves Disease

Main name of condition: Graves Disease

Class of Condition for Graves Disease: autoimmune

Other names or spellings for Graves Disease:

Graves Hyperthyroidism, Basdow's disease, Basedow disease, exophthalmic goiter, Parry disease, thyrotoxicosis, Hyperthyroid Grave's disease

Basedow's disease Source - Diseases Database

Graves' disease, Exophthalmic goiter
Source - WordNet 2.1

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Graves Disease:



Footnotes:
1. Rose and Mackay, 1998, The Autoimmune Diseases, Third Edition
 » Next page: Online Medical Textbooks for Graves Disease

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