Coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with angina pectoris and hypothyroidism

The treatment of hypothyroidism in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery is a difficult clinical problem. To determine perioperative thyroid replacement therapy in patients with hypothyroidism, plasma total thyroxine (T4), total triiodothyroxine (T3), free T4, free T3 and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were measured preoperatively and at 1, 2, 3, 7, and 14 days after operation in 9 patients with hypothyroidism and were compared with levels in 14 patients with normal thyroid function who underwent coronary bypass surgery. In the normal control group, total T4 decreased to its lowest level on the 1st postoperative day and then increased gradually to the preoperative level at 7 days. Total T4 remained within the normal range throughout the entire postoperative course. In 6 patients with hypothyroidism who were treated with thyroid hormone before surgery, total T4 decreased immediately after operation and only increased after starting thyroid replacement therapy. In 3 hypothyroid patients without prior thyroid replacement, total T4 showed a change similar to patients in the control group but remained below the normal range until starting thyroid replacement therapy. Coronary bypass surgery was performed safely in patients with hypothyroidism. Preoperative thyroid replacement with suboptimal doses was safe in patients with severe hypothyroidism. Adequate postoperative thyroid replacement was achieved in all patients without complications.