Graves Disease

Introduction: Graves Disease

Graves Disease: Graves' disease is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, affecting 13 million people and targeting women seven times as ... more about Graves Disease.

Graves Disease: A form of hyperthyroidism where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroxine which results in various symptoms such as goiter, protruding eyes and skin disorders. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Graves Disease is available below.

Symptoms of Graves Disease

• No symptoms - it is possible to show no side effects of the disease
• Increased energy expenditure
• Weight loss
• Increased appetite
• Rapid heart rate

See full list of 50 symptoms of Graves Disease

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Graves Disease:

• Thyroid: Home Testing:
  • Home Thyroid Function Tests
  • Home TSH Tests
  • Home Adrenal Function Tests

Medical Textbooks Online about Graves Disease

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Less Common Symptoms of Graves Disease

• Finger clubbing
• Toe clubbing
• Enlarged male breasts

Read more about symptoms of Graves Disease

Diagnostic Tests for Graves Disease

• Thyroid blood test

Read more about tests for Graves Disease

Wrongly Diagnosed with Graves Disease?

• Misdiagnosis of Graves Disease
• Failure to diagnose Graves Disease
• Underlying causes of Graves Disease (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Graves Disease

Misdiagnosis and Graves Disease

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Thyroid disorders greatly under-diagnosed: One study found that about 10% of people had undiagnosed thyroid disorders, mostly hyperthyroidism, but also hypothyroidism. The symptoms of...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Graves Disease

Causes of Graves Disease

• Thyroxine
• Choriocarcinoma
• Amiodarone
• Potassium iodide
• Thyroid stimulating globulin

See full list of 21 causes of Graves Disease

Read more about causes of Graves Disease.

More information about causes of Graves Disease:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Graves Disease (1 listings)
• Graves Disease as a complication caused by other conditions
• Graves Disease as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Graves Disease

Treatments for Graves Disease

• Anti-thyroid drug therapy
  • Methimazole
  • Carbimazole
  • Propylthiouricil
• Radioactive iodine (radioiodine) treatment

See full list of 9 treatments for Graves Disease

Videos for Graves Disease

Patient Surveys for Graves Disease

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Graves Disease
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Prognosis for Graves Disease

Prognosis for Graves Disease: Good with treatment. Usually recovery with treatment. Fatal if not treated.

More about prognosis of Graves Disease

Reseach about Graves Disease

Visit our research pages for current research about Graves Disease treatments.

Clinical Trials for Graves Disease

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Graves Disease include:

• Phase II Randomized Controlled Study of Sequential Orbital Radiotherapy for Graves' Ophthalmopathy - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• rhTSH, Thyroid Size, and Radioiodine Therapy in Benign Goiter - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Recombinant human thyrotropin (Thyrogen)
• Block-Replacement Therapy During Radioiodine Therapy - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Methimazole,Levothyroxine
• Rituximab in the Treatment of Graves' Disease - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Methimazole,Rituximab
• Antithyroid Drugs During Radioiodine Therapy - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Methimazole

See full list of 10 Clinical Trials for Graves Disease

Prevention of Graves Disease

Prevention information for Graves Disease has been compiled from various data sources and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of Graves Disease.

• Vitamin B12 - possibly used for prevention of Vitamin B12 deficiency

Read more about prevention of Graves Disease

Statistics for Graves Disease

• Medical statistics for Graves Disease
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Graves Disease
• Death and Mortality statistics for Graves Disease
• Society statistics for Graves Disease

Medical Guidebooks and Ebooks for Graves Disease

• Medifocus Guidebook for Graves Disease
• Icon Health Sourcebook for Graves Disease

See all guides and ebooks for Graves Disease

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Graves Disease, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Graves Disease

Endocrine Diseases: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Graves' disease is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, affecting 13 million people and targeting women seven times as often as men. Patients with Graves' disease produce an excessive amount of thyroid hormone. (Source: excerpt from Endocrine Diseases: NWHIC)

Graves' Disease: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Graves' Disease is a type of autoimmune disease in which the immune system over stimulates the thyroid gland, causing hyperthyroidism. Over-activity of the thyroid gland is also sometimes called "diffuse toxic goiter." The thyroid gland helps set the rate of metabolism (the rate at which the body uses energy), and when it is over-stimulated, it produces more thyroid hormones than the body needs. High levels of thyroid hormones can cause difficult side effects. This is an extremely rare disease that tends to affect women over the age of 20. The incidence is about 5 in 10,000 people. (Source: excerpt from Graves' Disease: NWHIC)

Thyroid Disease: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Grave's disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism. It is an autoimmune condition in which the body produces antibodies that overstimulate the thyroid gland, so that it produces too much thyroid hormone. (Source: excerpt from Thyroid Disease: NWHIC)

Definitions of 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)

Exophthalmos occurring in association with goiter; hyperthyroidism with protrusion of the eyeballs - (Source - WordNet 2.1)