hypothyroidism and heart conditions

It was my second last week on my cardio placement this week. I've met a number of patients who has undergone cardiac surgery such as CABG and also has hypothyroidism in the past medical history. So, I was wondering what it is and what's the relationship between hypothyroidism and heart conditions.

As background information, the thyroid gland is located at the base of the neck, just below Adam's apple and releases hormones such as thyroxine, triiodothyronine and calcitonin, which regulate all aspects of metabolism in our body. they maintain the rate at which the body uses fats and carbohydrates, control body temperature, influence heart rate and regulate the production of protein.

Causes of hypothyroidism are autoimmune disease, treatment for hyperthyroidism, radiation therapy used to treat cancers of the head and neck, thyroid surgery removing all or a large portion of thyroid, meds such as lithium, congenital disease, pituitary disorder, pregnancy and iodine deficiency.

Person with this disease presents with fatigue, depression, mod weight gain, cold intolerance, sleepiness, muscle cramps, vague aches and pains, etc. Mostly it's well controlled by medication though untreated hypothyroidism can lead to cardiomyopathy, worsening heart failure and pleural effusion.

Heart problems are common complication of hypothyroidism primarily because high levels of LDL cholesterol, an increase in total cholesterol levels and impaired the contractility of the heart leading to an enlarged heart and heart failure.

Thus, it's important to screen the condition by blood test and also control by the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (for instance, you can find Levothyroid in patient's med chart).

Hope it's useful information if you were wondering about hypothyroidism:)