RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Managing subclinical hypothyroidism
JF Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin
JO Drug Ther Bull
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 1
OP 3
DO 10.1136/dtb.1998.3611
VO 36
IS 1
YR 1998
UL http://dtb.bmj.com/content/36/1/1.abstract
AB Relevant BNF section: 6.2.1In a patient with overt primary hypothyroidism, management is usually straightforward: treatment with thyroxine should be offered to anyone with characteristic clinical features, a raised serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration and a low serum thyroxine (T4) concentration. More difficult is the management of a patient with subclinical hypothyroidism, in whom serum TSH is raised but T4 level is normal, and who is either asymptomatic or has only non-specific symptoms. Left untreated, some of these patients will eventually develop overt hypothyroidism. Here we discuss the use of thyroxine in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.