Primary Care Management of Thyroid Disorders

Thyroid disorders are conditions commonly seen in primary care. Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, reviews the diagnosis and treatment options primary care providers should consider for their patients with thyroid disorders during her session at the Practical Updates in Primary Care 2022 Virtual Series. 

Dr Cooke is a family nurse practitioner and graduate faculty at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.

The learning objectives of this session were to review the following:

• The function of the thyroid in the endocrine system
• The differential diagnosis for elevated and decreased thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
• The treatment options available for elevated and decreased TSH

“There are huge controversies on what is the upper limit of ‘normal’ of the TSH and when to treat it,” said Dr Cooke. “It’s really important for us to look at this and really keep up to date on what’s recommended. And even the endocrinologists don’t all agree. There’s been quite large discussions on when to treat, what to treat, and how to treat each individual patient.”

Dr Cooke provided a review of the two manifestations of thyroid disorders, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid, including symptoms, appropriate laboratory studies, and primary, secondary and tertiary cause of these disorders.

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Reference:

Cooke C. Thyroid Disorders in Primary Care. Talk presented at: Practical Updates in Primary Care 2022 Virtual Series; November 16-18, 2022; Virtual. https://www.practicalupdates.consultant360.com/