[Prognosis and life expectancy in patients with hyperthyroidism]

The term "hyperthyroidism" comprises several different diseases of which two have to be distinguished particularly: 1. hyperthyroidism with Graves' disease: the immunopathogenesis of Graves' disease allows a symptomatic therapy only; therefore its prognosis is not as good as for the 2. autonomous hyperthyroidism ("toxic goiter"), which can be cured definitely by operation or radioiodine therapy. Both diseases may aggravate under iatrogenic iodine exposure (iodine-containing drugs or X-ray contrast media) to a thyroid storm; this most severe kind of hyperthyroidism still leads to death in almost 40% of the patients.