Hyperthyroidism:
a Chronic Disease?
GABRIEL SJÖLIN
Medical Science with a specialisation in Surgery
Örebro Studies in Medicine 230 I
ÖREBRO 2021 2021GA
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gustaf gabriel sjölin, md (1979) received his medical degree from the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm in 2008. He completed his surgical residency at the Örebro University hospital in 2017, where he is currently working. In 2017 he registered as a PhD student at Örebro University hospital under the supervision of professor Göran Wallin. Beside the PhD studies, he is also involved in medical education at Örebro University and was appointed honorary member and Nestor of the Örebro University Surgical Society in 2015. Thyroid hormone overproduction (hyperthyroidism) can result in both sys-temic symptoms due to accelerated metabolism with unintentional weight loss and irregular heartbeat, as well as local symptoms with goitre and ophthalmopathy. In long-term this can lead to increased morbidity and mor-tality, and to a deterioration in the quality of life. Clinicians often assume that hyperthyroidism is a transient condition and the pre-morbid quality of life and health are restored when the excess of thyroid hormone has ended.
This dissertation shows that even after the excess of thyroid hormone has ended, many individuals diagnosed with hyperthyroidism live with its long-standing effects. These include repeated recurrences, multiple treatments, hormone replacement, little sense of recovery, and a continuous decrease in the quality of life. Hyperthyroidism has long-term effects, affecting a relatively large population. Thus the findings of this dissertation indicate the chronic nature of hyperthyroidism. issn 1652-4063 isbn 978-91-7529-370-7
