International Thyroid Awareness Week

International Thyroid Awareness Week is celebrated during the last week of May each year to draw attention to thyroid diseases and raise awareness. This year, Merck is providing global support for the 'Thyroid and Genetics' theme, which the International Thyroid Federation has established to emphasize that genetics can seriously affect the risk of thyroid function disorders. The thyroid gland, located at the front of the windpipe and weighing approximately 20 grams, has a butterfly shape and, despite its small size, plays a critically important role in metabolism. Hormones secreted from the thyroid gland regulate vital functions such as intellectual development and the growth and development of the body from birth until the end of life. Improper functioning of this gland causes thyroid function disorders. Thyroid diseases cause serious negative effects on quality of life. They are among the most common diseases in the world and affect approximately 200 million people. Nevertheless, low awareness regarding thyroid diseases and the fact that symptoms are often confused with other diseases can lead to delays in diagnosis. For this reason, many patients are not treated in time and must cope with the long-term effects of the disease, potentially experiencing cardiovascular diseases, depression, osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage risk. Understanding family history is important in determining potential thyroid disorder risk Overactivity or underactivity of the thyroid gland is mostly based on genetic causes. In other words, most thyroid diseases can be inherited. Individuals with a family history of thyroid disorder or thyroid cancer should be especially alert if they have symptoms such as irregular heart rate, unexplained weight gain or loss, skin problems, hair loss, constipation, fatigue, muscle weakness, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, vision problems and irregularity in the menstrual cycle.

Understanding genetic predisposition is essential to understanding your thyroid future

Thyroid function disorders can be diagnosed early by consulting a physician according to family history and symptoms, and through genetic testing and blood tests. Early diagnosis of thyroid disorders is important because it enables disease monitoring and appropriate treatment planning. If one family member has been diagnosed with thyroid function disorders, it is very important to help the remaining family members better understand their risks, increase their awareness of possible signs and symptoms, and encourage them to get tested in order to take precautions against thyroid disorders. This year, the International Thyroid Awareness Week to be held between 25-31 May is being supported by the Turkish Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (TEMD). [caption id="attachment_153211" align="aligncenter"] Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahin[/caption] Commenting on the issue, TEMD Thyroid Working Group Chair Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahin said: "We estimate that the number of thyroid patients in our country is around 10-12 million. We can say that more than half of these people are not aware of their thyroid disease. Thyroid diseases are generally more common in women. It is thought that approximately 1 in 8 women experience at least one thyroid disease in their lifetime. Underlying most pandemic thyroid diseases are genetic and environmental factors combined." Noting that this year they want to emphasize in parallel with the International Thyroid Federation the effect of genetic factors on thyroid disorders, Şahin continued: "Family history and genetic predisposition are very important for thyroid diseases. Individuals with thyroid cancer in their first-degree relatives have a higher cancer risk. Determining who has a higher thyroid cancer risk and who needs genetic screening will provide us with early diagnosis and better treatment success. Some at-risk individuals need to be genetically screened. Relatives of individuals with autoimmune thyroid disease also more frequently experience autoimmune thyroid diseases and other autoimmune diseases." He further emphasized: "Family history should be taken in detail for thyroid diseases, and individuals with a family history of thyroid disease should consult a doctor if they experience neck swelling." Experts are inviting those with a family history of thyroid function disorders to gain awareness on the issue during "International Thyroid Awareness Week." They emphasize the importance of people experiencing the mentioned symptoms consulting their physicians and receiving treatment under medical supervision.