Treatment Options for Graves' Disease

Goals of Treatment of Graves' Disease

The goals of treatment of Graves' disease (GD) include:

• Controlling symptoms of the disease
• Restoring euthyroidism (normal levels of thyroid hormone)

In general, there are three types of treatments for Graves' disease:

• Drug therapy
• Radioactive iodine
• Surgery

The choice of modality for initial treatment of Graves' disease is based on symptoms, individual preference, and the experience of the health care provider. In North America, radioactive iodine is often the first treatment of choice whereas in Europe, the initial choice for treatment is antithyroid drugs.

Many of the treatment modalities for Graves' disease render the thyroid gland non-functional and lifetime replacement with synthetic thyroid hormone is required. Some studies indicate that regardless of the treatment chosen, approximately 50% of patients remain hypothyroid (low levels of thyroid hormone) even 10 years after treatment. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Slow heart rate
• Dry skin
• Sensitivity to cold
• Unintentional weight gain