Considerations for the management of critical patients with thyroid disease

The role of the endocrine system in the homeostasis of all the body is essential, and has an impact on quality of life, prognosis and survival of patients. Although all the organs of this system are important, the thyroid gland is sizeable due to its easily accessible anatomical location and the variety of symptoms and signs that occur after it is affected. In the intensive care unit, knowledge of thyroid physiology and pathology is essential, due to the critical condition of patients and their multisystemic compromise, which is why this knowledge becomes an essential tool in the diagnostic arsenal to give a timely and effective management of these disorders. The objective of this review is to transmit in a timely and updated manner the necessary considerations for the optimal approach to patients with thyroid disease in the intensive care unit.