Drug-induced thyroid gland dysfunctions

Abstract

In recent decades a separate interest has been the study of the influence of drugs on thyroid function.The selection and analysis of scientific papers in the Pubmed database was carried out regarding the disorders of the function of the thyroid gland caused by drugs. It was found that the drugs are able to affect the function of the thyroid gland at the level of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis, the synthesis, release, activation, metabolism and elimination of thyroid hormones, as well as to influence the effects of thyroid hormones at the cellular and systemic level. A wide range of drugs (iodine preparations, antiepileptics, antituberculosis drugs, monoclonal antibodies, glucocorticoids, antitumor drugs, estrogens, immunostimulatory cytokines, antacids, bile acid sequestrants, amiodarone, heparin, furosemide, etc.), have been identified, which can influence the function of the thyroid gland through different mechanisms. Drugs may induce subclinical or clinically manifest hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis. When examining the patient with suspected thyroid pathology, it is necessary to collect the anamnesis to highlight the drugs used as possible etiologic factors of thyroid dysfunction.