• Hyperthyroidism, which is a condition marked by an abnormally high level of thyroid hormones in the blood.
  
  
• Hypothyroidism is a disorder in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body's needs.
  
  
• The most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States is a disease called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This is an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks and inflames the thyroid gland.
  
  
• More than eight out of 10 patients with thyroid disease are women.
  
  
• Nearly one out of 50 women in the United States is diagnosed with hypothyroidism during pregnancy.
  
  
• Six out of every 100 miscarriages are associated with thyroid hormone deficiencies during pregnancy.
  
  
• One out of every four thousand babies born in the United States has hypothyroidism.
  
  
• Incidence of hypothyroidism increases with age.
  
  
• You have a higher risk of developing thyroid disease if, among a variety of factors:
• You have a family member with a thyroid problem
• You have another pituitary or endocrine disease
• You or a family member have another autoimmune disease
• You've been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• You've been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia
• You're female
• You're over 60
• You've had early graying of scalp hair (before the age of 30)
• You've just had a baby
• You're near menopause or menopausal
• You're a smoker
• You've been exposed to radiation
• You've been treated with lithium
• You've been exposed to certain chemicals (i.e., perchlorate, fluoride)
  
  
• The thyroid gland produces hormones that influence essentially every organ, tissue and cell in the body.
  
  
• Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are swelling in the neck (goiter), an increased heart rate or palpitations, anxiety and irritability, tremors, muscle weakness, thinning of the skin, hair loss, osteoporosis, heat intolerance, difficulty sleeping, shorter and lighter menstrual periods, and weight loss despite a strong appetite.
  
  
• Common symptoms of hypothyroidism are swelling in the neck (goiter), a slow heart rate, an increase in total cholesterol levels, anemia, pervasive fatigue, depression, slowed mental functioning including poor concentration and memory, sluggish reflexes, cold intolerance, drying and coarsening of the skin, muscle and joint aches, constipation, weight gain and fluid retention, increased sensitivity to many medications, lower libido and other problems with the reproductive system including infertility, increased risk of miscarriage and heavy or irregular menstrual flow in women and erectile dysfunction in men.
  
  
• Because the range of symptoms in hypothyroidism is so wide, it can be difficult for doctors to diagnose.
  
  
• Hypothyroidism is generally diagnosed with blood tests.
  
  
• The majority of people with hypothyroidism will need to take manufactured versions of natural thyroid hormones for the rest of their lives to relieve their symptoms and to avoid serious long-term consequences.
  
  
• A dose of thyroid hormone that is too low may fail to prevent enlargement of the thyroid gland, allow symptoms of hypothyroidism to persist, and be associated with increased serum cholesterol levels, which may increase the risk for atherosclerosis and heart disease. A dose that is too high can cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism, create excessive strain on the heart, and lead to an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.

These quick facts have been adapted from information from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists