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[Reversible pulmonary hypertension in Basedow's disease].
1Service de Médecine interne, Endocrinologie et Diabétologie, Centre Hospitalier de Saint-Dizier, 4, rue Godard Jeanson, F 52115 Saint-Dizier. leonard.nduwayo@wanadoo.fr
Presse Medicale (Paris, France : 1983)
|February 24, 2001
Summary
Hyperthyroidism, particularly Graves' disease, can cause pulmonary hypertension. This condition rapidly reversed when thyroid hormone levels normalized, suggesting a direct link.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is occasionally linked to hyperthyroidism.
- While autoimmune mechanisms are often implicated, a direct impact of thyroid hormones on pulmonary vasculature is also considered.
Observation:
- A 49-year-old woman with Graves' disease presented with acute dyspnea.
- Diagnostic workup excluded stroke, pulmonary embolism, and cardiac ischemia.
- Echocardiography revealed significant pulmonary hypertension (systolic pulmonary artery pressure of 68.7 mmHg).
Findings:
- The patient exhibited recurrent hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease.
- Pulmonary hypertension substantially improved following treatment that restored the euthyroid state.
Implications:
- This case highlights a direct association between hyperthyroidism and pulmonary hypertension.
- The rapid resolution of PH upon achieving euthyroidism suggests thyroid hormones may directly influence the pulmonary vascular system.