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Thyroid hormone and cardiovascular system: from basic concepts to clinical application

Giorgio Iervasi1, Giuseppina Nicolini

  • 1CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, C.N.R.-Tuscany Region G. Monasterio Foundation, Pisa, Italy. iervasi@ifc.cnr.it

Internal and Emergency Medicine
|February 26, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Thyroid hormone (TH) significantly impacts cardiovascular health. This review explores the link between altered thyroid function, particularly low-T3 syndrome, and the progression of heart failure (HF).

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology and Cardiology
  • Focuses on the interplay between thyroid hormone metabolism and cardiovascular system function.

Background:

  • Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
  • Chronic heart failure (HF) is a prevalent condition, especially in older adults.
  • Thyroid hormone (TH) derangements are increasingly recognized as significant factors in HF progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the pathophysiological and clinical connections between abnormal thyroid metabolism and cardiovascular diseases.
  • To examine the role of altered thyroid function in the progression of heart failure.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of experimental and clinical findings.
  • Analysis of the "low-T3" syndrome in heart failure patients.
  • Examination of thyroid hormone alterations in cardiovascular disease progression.

Main Results:

  • Thyroid hormone (TH) is crucial for maintaining cardiovascular (CV) homeostasis.
  • "Low-T3" syndrome, characterized by reduced T3 levels with normal T4 and TSH, is an early alteration in HF.
  • This syndrome affects up to one-third of advanced HF patients.

Conclusions:

  • Altered thyroid metabolism, specifically "low-T3" syndrome, is closely linked to the pathophysiology and progression of heart failure.
  • Understanding these links is vital for managing cardiovascular diseases and heart failure.

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