BENGALURU: The thyroid gland is one of the important endocrine organs in our body. The gland secretes a hormone called thyroxine, which controls our metabolism. Thyroxine has a wide range of effects on several bodily functions including cardiac function. The level of the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) increases mainly when the thyroid gland is hyperactive, or when we have a hyperfunctional thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism can expedite our body’s metabol ism which can cause weight loss an drapidor irregular heartbeat.
How does the thyroid gland affect our heart?
Hyperthyroidism can cause an increase in heart rate and abnormal rhythms, which can lead to heart failure. This abnormal heart rhythm is called atrial fibrillation (AFib). AFibcauses an abnormal increase in heart rate,spiking from 100 to 150 beats per minute. As a result of rapid, irregular heartbeating, exhausts the heart muscle over a period of time and may reduce the pumping efficiency. At that point, we determine that the patient has heart failure. Such reduced pumping efficiency can be temporary and reversible, if recognized timely and treated. Else it can lead to permanent damage to the heart muscle.
Blood clotting
When a person suffers from atrial fibrillation, one of the causes can be an overactive thyroid nodule or gland. They will be prone to clot formation within the heart chambers, mainly the left atrium. The clot can migrate into the bloodstream and clog various blood vessel systems throughout the body. One of the most commonly-affected blood vessel systems is blood flow to the brain, leading to stroke. These are the main concerns about thyroid gland hyper function that increases the risk of cardiac problems. (The writer is consultant - interventional cardiologist, Manipal Hospital Whitefield)