Changes of arterial pressure in patients with hyperthyroidism during therapy.
BACKGROUND
Hyperthyroidism affects the circulatory system, producing an increase in cardiac output and an enhanced vascular bed volume. These phenomena are important in the regulation of blood pressure. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of short- and long-term treatment of hyperthyroidism on arterial pressure, taking into account the indices of cardiac function and peripheral vessel resistance.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients with hyperthyroidism and 30 healthy controls were investigated. The patients were examined before treatment, two weeks after initiation of therapy, and after attainment of a euthyroid state. Thiamazole was used as the antithyroid agent. Blood pressure and serum thyroid hormones were determined and ultrasonographic examination was performed on all the subjects, after the application of a diet containing 120 mmol of sodium and 70 mmol of potassium for three days.


RESULTS
Patients with hyperthyroidism had higher systolic blood pressure and lower diastolic blood pressure than the healthy controls. After short-term treatment, systolic blood pressure returned to normal, while diastolic blood pressure was normalized only after long-term treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Regulation of blood pressure in patients with hyperthyroidism is a complex process. Systolic blood pressure is mainly related to cardiac output and returns to normal range shortly after the initiation of therapy, while diastolic blood pressure is related to peripheral vascular resistance and is normalized after long-term treatment.
Marcisz
Czesław
C
Department of Internal Medicine, Tychy.
Jonderko
Gerard
G
Kucharz
Eugeniusz
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism
D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D008713:Methimazole