Thyroid storm is a life-threatening form of thyrotoxicosis most commonly seen in patients with which condition?

Thyroid storm is a life-threatening form of thyrotoxicosis most commonly seen in patients with which condition?

• A. Graves disease
• B. Hashimoto thyroiditis
• C. Toxic multinodular goiter
• D. Subacute thyroiditis

Answer: (A)

Thyroid storm is a medical emergency, representing an extreme, decompensated thyrotoxicosis in someone with pre-existing hyperthyroidism. It most commonly happens with Graves disease because Graves is the most frequent cause of autoimmune hyperthyroidism, with stimulating antibodies driving a high and diffuse release of thyroid hormones and a heightened catecholamine response. This combination makes the body especially susceptible to a crisis when stressed by infection, surgery, or other triggers. Other causes like toxic multinodular goiter can produce thyrotoxicosis, but thyroid storm is much less common there; Hashimoto thyroiditis usually leads to hypothyroidism, and subacute thyroiditis can cause a transient thyrotoxic phase without the same risk of a full-blown storm. Hence, Graves disease best explains why a thyroid storm occurs.

Thyroid storm is a medical emergency, representing an extreme, decompensated thyrotoxicosis in someone with pre-existing hyperthyroidism. It most commonly happens with Graves disease because Graves is the most frequent cause of autoimmune hyperthyroidism, with stimulating antibodies driving a high and diffuse release of thyroid hormones and a heightened catecholamine response. This combination makes the body especially susceptible to a crisis when stressed by infection, surgery, or other triggers. Other causes like toxic multinodular goiter can produce thyrotoxicosis, but thyroid storm is much less common there; Hashimoto thyroiditis usually leads to hypothyroidism, and subacute thyroiditis can cause a transient thyrotoxic phase without the same risk of a full-blown storm. Hence, Graves disease best explains why a thyroid storm occurs.