Assessing thyroid function in the elderly

Problems in thyroid function are commonly encountered in caring for the elderly patient. Due to difficulties in clinically assessing thyroid status, thyroid function tests become increasingly important. Many problems exist in terms of interpretation of these tests due to physiological alterations accompanying aging and interactions with medications often taken by the elderly. This article discusses aspects of thyroid hormone economy, clinical presentation of disorders of the thyroid gland and offers advice to avoid pitfalls in diagnosing thyroid problems in the elderly.