Horrifying Hypothyroidism and Heart Connection

Subclinical hypothyroidism is a mostly symptom-free condition in which your thyroid hormones test within the normal range while your thyroid-stimulating hormone is mildly elevated.

While it is tempting to think of this condition as not especially serious, a new article in the journal Current Pharmaceutical Design shows that it can have incredibly harmful consequences for your heart health.

The authors of this article reviewed the scientific literature on the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and heart disease.

They found that it was surprisingly common in the general population, affecting 8% of women and 3% of men.

In studies on elderly people, they found the prevalence to be up to 12.5%.

Since thyroid hormones are involved in helping to regulate the heart’s electrophysiology and ability to contract, it is unsurprising that so many studies have found that people with hypothyroidism have an increased risk of heart disease.

But the research on subclinical hypothyroidism is no less alarming.

1. People with subclinical hypothyroidism are more likely than the rest of the population to suffer from coronary heart disease, especially those below age 65. This occurs when your arteries cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to your heart because they are blocked by, for example, cholesterol or blood clots. It is the most common cause of death in the United States.

2. People with subclinical hypothyroidism have higher levels of fats in their blood, which are called lipids.

3. They are more likely than the rest of the population to suffer strokes.

4. They tend to have high blood pressure.

5. Heart failure is more common in people with subclinical hypothyroidism than in the general population, especially in those below age 65.

6. People who already suffer from heart failure have a smaller chance of being relatively healthy and surviving if they also have subclinical hypothyroidism.

7. They tend to suffer from endothelial dysfunction, which damages their blood vessels.

8. They are more likely to die of cardiovascular disease, and to die early of any cause, than those whose thyroid-stimulating hormone tests are normal.

9. While subclinical hyperthyroidism is definitely related to atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, this relationship is still disputed for hypothyroidism.

These findings are alarming, especially because people with subclinical hypothyroidism often do not know that they have it, as it is symptom-free for the majority of people.

The good news is that it’s relatively simple to heal both hyperthyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism. You just have to make a few simple lifestyle changes explained here…