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Secondary hypothyroidism

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Secondary hypothyroidism is seen when there is interference in

  • tyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) production by the hypothalamus or its delivery via the pituitary stalk
  • thyrotropin production in the pituitary

The most common causes are pituitary adenomas and the surgery and/or radiotherapy used to treat them (1).

The disease is diagnosed by a combination of TSH with free T4:

  • plasma TSH - can be low, within range or mildly elevated
  • free T4 - is low (1)

Patients should be referred to a specialist for further investigations and management. In patients with secondary hypothyroidism, adequacy of thyroxine replacement should be assessed by measuring free T4 levels (1).

Reference:

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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