Hypothyroidism in the elderly: features of diagnosis and prevention

Abstract

Hypothyroidism is a clinical syndrome that is based on a deficiency of thyroid hormones. Primary hypothyroidism is a rather common pathology, incidence of the symptomatic form of which is approximately 1–2 %, and subclinical form about 7–10 % among women and 2–3 % among men. Prevalence of hypothyroidism can exceed 14 % in the group of women older than 50 years — notably, mainly women are affected by this problem. Features of the course of hypothyroidism in agerelated patients are presented in this article, main causes of its development are considered, main aspects of diagnosis and treatment in elderly patients are provided.