EVALUATION OF CARDIAC INVOLVEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY HYPOTHYROIDISM

BACKGROUND: The cardiovascular system is one of the major targets of thyroid hormone action, and is a reliable marker of peripheral thyroid hormone action. It is sensitive enough to detect the effects of thyroid hormone deficiency at tissue level not only in patients with overt but also in individuals with mild thyroid failure. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Investigate clinical cardiovascular and echocardiographic abnormalities in newly detected hypothyroid patients, correlate them with the severity and assess the response to treatment. RESULTS: Heart rate was significantly associated with grade of hypothyroidism. Statistically significant correlation was seen between the grade of hypothyroidism, and the echocardiographic parameters like the isovolumic ventricular relaxation time, grade of diastolic dysfunction, interventricular septum thickness and the pericardial effusion. Improvement in all these parameters was seen following replacement therapy, in patients who were followed up. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiography is a very valuable tool in evaluation of the effects of hypothyroidism on heart and can detect earliest changes even in subclinical hypothyroidism.