Originally published January 1 2006
Congestive heart failure a possible outcome of thyroid condition, study says
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Researchers at the University of California in San Francisco have discovered that older patients suffering from a thyroid condition known as subclinical hypothyroidism are at risk of congestive heart failure.
Older adults with a specific thyroid condition are at increased risk of congestive heart failure, but not other cardiovascular problems or death, a new study finds.
People with the condition, called subclinical hypothyroidism, have elevated levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and normal levels of the hormone thyroxine.
Subclinical hypothyroidism prevalence increases with age, and around 10 percent of people over 70 years of age have the condition.
This study of 2,730 men and women, aged 70 to 79, found that those with moderate or severe subclinical hypothyroidism were at a significantly increased risk of congestive heart failure (CHF), while those with milder forms of the condition were not.
"In this population-based study of older adults, subclinical hypothyroidism was associated with a higher rate of incident and recurrent congestive heart failure among participants with a TSH level of 7.0 mIU/L or greater," wrote researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
They added that, "this association persisted after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors."
The study appears in the Nov. 28 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Further investigation is also warranted to assess whether subclinical hypothyroidism causes or worsens pre-existing heart failure," the research team said.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml