Explanation of

Disease
The thyroid is a butterfly
shaped gland in the neck
that secretes thyroid
hormone. It is then carried
through the blood to all
tissues. It is responsible for
energy, metabolism,
warmth, and keeping
organs working as they
should. Hyperthyroidism is
when there is an excess of
the thyroid hormone being
released into the body, or
the thyroid gland is
overactive. Another term
used is thyrotoxicosis,
which means that there is
high levels of thyroid
hormone in the blood. A
number of different
disorders can cause this to
happen, such as, Graves
disease, Plummers disease,
and thyroiditis.
Hyperthyroidism tends run
in the family and is more
common in women. It is
estimated that around 20
million Americans have
some form of thyroid
disease, and one out of

NCLEX Questions
Which of the following is a drug of
choice for Hyperthyroidism?
o Furosemide (Lasix)
o Digoxin (Lanoxin)
o Propranolol (Inderal)
o Propylthiouracil (PTU)
Which nursing diagnosis takes
highest priority for a female client
with hyperthyroidism?
o Risk for imbalanced
nutrition: More than body
requirements related to
thyroid hormone
o Risk for impaired skin
integrity related to edema,
skin fragility, and poor
wound healing
o Body image disturbance
related to weight gain and
edema
o Imbalanced nutrition: Less
than body requirements
related to thyroid hormone
excess

References

Ackley, Betty J., Ladwig, Gail B. (2014)

Mosbys
Guide to Nursing
Diagnosis. Maryland
Heights,
Missouri: Elsevier.

"Hyperthyroidism." American
Thyroid Association. N.p., 4 June
2012. Web. 2 Apr. 2015. Path:
http://www.thyroid.org/what-is-

Hyperthyroidi
sm

Clinical Manifestations & Potential

Hyperthyroidism
often mimics other health problems so it can be hard to diagnose at fist. It causes a wide variety of
Complications

symptoms such as sudden weight loss, even when food consumption and appetite stay the same, which can lead to an
increased appetite. Tachycardia, usually more than 100 beats per minute, arrhythmias, and palpitations. This can cause
nervousness, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Other common signs and symptoms include tremor, heat intolerance, sweating,
skin thinning, brittle nails, changes in menstrual cycle, and changes in bowel patterns. Older adults are more likely to no or
minor symptoms. Undiagnosed thyroid disease may put patients at risk for certain serious conditions, such as cardiovascular
diseases because of the increases heart rate and arrhythmias. Osteoporosis can also occur because thyroid stimulation
hormone has a direct effect on formation. Infertility is also a complication if hyperthyroidism is left untreated.

Lifespan & Cultural Nursing Diagnoses

Considerations
Hyperthyroidism is more
common in women than
men, some think this is
because of the hormone
cycles of women affect the
incidence of thyroid
disease. It can affect all
ages, but is most
commonly diagnosed in
20-40 years old. It is
uncommon to find it
children, teens, and
people above 65 years of
age. African Americans are
less likely to be diagnosed
than Hispanic and
Caucasian.

Activity intolerance related to

exhaustion and fatigue because of
hypermetabolic state. Desired
outcomes should include energy
conservation, increased endurance,
and proper self-care.
Risk for decreased cardiac output r/t
uncontrolled hyperthyroidism. Desired
outcomes should include maintaining
adequate cardiac output which would
be evidenced by stable vital signs,
good capillary refill, and absence of
dysrhythmias.
Risk for imbalanced nutrition r/t
increased metabolism. Desired
outcomes will be to maintain a stable
weight with normal laboratory values
and no signs on malnutrition.

Significance to
Nursing
Thyroid disease is the second
most common endocrine disease
after diabetes mellitus. Since
thyroid cancer can be very hard
to diagnose, the nurse needs to
vigilant and watch for any signs
and symptoms that could point
to thyroid disease. The nurse
needs to be an advocate for the
patient if they are not getting
treated. The patient will have to
be watched closely after
prescribing medication because
it will often have to be tweaked,
which will be monitored by an
endocrinologist. An increase of
this disease would cause a
higher need for endocrinologists.
If left untreated, it would cause a
higher incidence of the
complications discussed above.