nature and prognosis of thyroid disorders and the heart

ABSTRACT

This is an attempt to review the current major thyroid disorders that may affect the heart directly and/ or indirectly and their prognostic pattern. It is accepted that cardiac disability can occur in thyroid dysfunction in the absence of any other underlying cardiac abnormality. This "Thyrocardiac disease" occurs more commonly within creasing age and in the elderly and may reflect occult thyroid function impairment. The advent of non-invasive cardiology particularly cross-sectional echocardiography has demonstrated ability to assess ventricular internal dimensions and function and to detect various cardiac disorders in the so called thyroid heart disease. Nevertheless great awareness has been reached in the age long controversy regarding the magnitude of cardiac abnormality in thyroid disorders