NEW YORK, Jan 18 (Reuters Health) -- A high blood cholesterol level may be
an indication that the thyroid gland in the neck is underactive, rather than the
result of poor dietary habits. In order to increase awareness of the link
between the two, endocrinologists are urging Americans to learn about the link
between high cholesterol and the thyroid in a program called "Take Cholesterol
by the Neck."
The program, sponsored by the American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists (AACE), notes that after diet, "thyroid disease is the most
common secondary cause of high cholesterol."
"Somewhere between one-quarter and one-half of patients with underactive
thyroids will have high cholesterol levels," AACE President Dr. Richard A.
Dickey told Reuters Health. "The cholesterol level responds just by diagnosing
and treating the thyroid disease." Conversely, about 10% of persons with high
cholesterol have underactive thyroids, AACE past-president Dr. Stanley Feld
explains.
A survey released by the AACE shows that "fewer than half of the adults
who had been diagnosed with high cholesterol knew if they had ever been tested
for thyroid disease."
Everyone with a high cholesterol level should be screened for thyroid
disease, Dickey explains. "We want to avoid patients being treated for high
cholesterol when the cause is really thyroid disease," he added. This is also
the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration and the National
Cholesterol Education Program. The cholesterol-lowering statin drugs carry a
warning that all persons with high cholesterol levels should have their thyroid
function checked.
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that is located just below the
Adam's apple. It produces hormones that regulate metabolism, including the
ability to metabolize cholesterol. In addition to high cholesterol, an
underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can cause fatigue, weight gain, dry skin,
and depression or mood swings. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy can restore
thyroid hormone levels to normal.
Thyroid disease affects as many as 13 million Americans, though more than
half of these patients are not diagnosed, AACE officials believe. Diagnosis is
done with a simple blood test. Individuals can perform a preliminary self-check
by standing in front of the mirror and drinking a glass of water while watching
for signs of an enlarged or irregular thyroid.
