Antithyroid Drugs

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 352; no. 9; pp. 905 - 917
• Main Author: Cooper, David S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 03.03.2005
• Subjects: Agranulocytosis - chemically induced; Algorithms; Antithyroid Agents - adverse effects; Antithyroid Agents - pharmacology; Antithyroid Agents - therapeutic use; Autoimmune diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Drug therapy; Female; General aspects; Graves Disease - drug therapy; Humans; Hyperthyroidism - drug therapy; Medical sciences; Methimazole - administration & dosage; Methimazole - adverse effects; Methimazole - therapeutic use; Pharmacology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - drug therapy; Propylthiouracil - administration & dosage; Propylthiouracil - adverse effects; Propylthiouracil - therapeutic use; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Gland - drug effects; Thyrotoxicosis - drug therapy; Thyroxine - biosynthesis; Triiodothyronine - biosynthesis; Medicine; Antithyroid agent
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra042972

Antithyroid drugs, which have been available for more than half a century, are important in the management of hyperthyroidism, particularly in patients with Graves' disease, who have a high response rate. Since the responses of patients vary and these agents have potentially serious side effects, a working knowledge of their complex pharmacology is required. This review article considers recent pharmacologic and clinical data related to the use of these compounds. Since the responses of patients vary and these agents have potentially serious side effects, a working knowledge of their complex pharmacology is required. This review article considers recent pharmacologic and clinical data related to the use of these compounds. Antithyroid drugs, which have been in use for more than half a century, remain cornerstones in the management of hyperthyroidism, especially for patients with Graves' disease. Surveys of thyroidologists from the early 1990s indicate that most practitioners consider antithyroid drugs the treatment of choice for most young people with Graves' disease, both in the United States and in the rest of the world. 1 , 2 A substantial amount of new information, much of it evidence-based, 3 has become available since the topic was last summarized in the Journal in 1984. 4 The present review considers recent pharmacologic and clinical data related to the . . .