[Therapeutic controversies: the treatment of Graves' disease]

Hyperthyroidism is a common clinical condition with an annual incidence of about 1%. Approximately, 1 in every 20 women will develop this condition during a lifetime. Most cases are due to Graves'disease. Solitary toxic nodules and toxic multinodular goiters are also important but less frequent causes. In this article, we will consider only the treatment of Graves'disease. Anti-thyroid drugs, surgery and radio-iodine, all represent effective forms of treatment. There is, however, little consensus regarding the treatment of choice for specific cases. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment.