Hypothyroidism
What Increases Your Risk
Many factors may increase your risk for developing hypothyroidism. These include:
- Age and sex. Older adults are more likely to develop hypothyroidism than younger people, and women are more likely than men to develop thyroid disease.6
- Family history. Hypothyroidism tends to run in families.
- Previous thyroid problems. Thyroid disease, an enlarged thyroid (goiter), and surgery or radiation therapy to treat thyroid problems increase the likelihood of developing hypothyroidism in the future.
- Some lifelong conditions. Diabetes, an autoimmune disease that causes patches of light skin (vitiligo), pernicious anemia, and premature gray hair (leukotrichia) are seen more often in people with hypothyroidism.
- Iodine deficiency. This is rare in the United States but common in areas where iodine is not added to salt, food, and water.
- Medicines. Some medicines can interfere with normal thyroid function, particularly lithium carbonate, amiodarone (such as Amiodarone, Cordarone, and Pacerone), and interferon alfa (such as Infergen, Rebetron, and Wellferon).
Up to 20% of women older than 60 have mild (subclinical) hypothyroidism; about 2% to 5% of people with subclinical disease develop hypothyroidism every year.4, 6 Many of the same factors that increase your risk for hypothyroidism also increase your risk for mild hypothyroidism.
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| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: August 25, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Topic Overview | |
| Cause | |
| Symptoms | |
| What Happens | |
 | What Increases Your Risk |
| When To Call a Doctor | |
| Exams and Tests | |
| Treatment Overview | |
| Prevention | |
| Home Treatment | |
| Medications | |
| Surgery | |
| Other Treatment | |
| Other Places To Get Help | |
| Related Information | |
| References | |
| Credits | |