[Hyperthyroidism: current concepts and management]

Hyperthyroidism leads to an overproduction of thyroid hormones, which determine diverse expressions of thyrotoxicosis. However a high prevalence of mild and subclinical forms of hyperthyroidism are now recognised, since the biological measurement of thyroid hormones and TSH modified the diagnostic criteria. Clinical, biological, ultrasonographic and scintigraphic data allow the identification of the different causes of hyperthyroidism. This point is very important to assess the prognosis and to choose the right therapy. Graves' disease, solitary and multinodular toxic goiters constitute the main causes of hyperthyroidism, with iatrogenic thyrotoxicosis. Antithyroid drugs, surgery and radioactive iodine, are useful for the traditional forms of hyperthyroidism. But the choice of the therapy and the procedures for the follow-up has now a more rational background.