Title:Thyroid Disorders and Peripheral Arterial Disease
Volume: 22
Issue: 1
Author(s): Katica Bajuk Studen*, Simona Gaberscek, Katja Zaletel, Ales Blinc, Miso Sabovic, Gerit-Holger Schernthaner, Panagiotis Anagnostis, Pier Luigi Antignani, Mojca Jensterle, Dimitri P Mikhailidis and Pavel Poredos
Affiliation:
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Keywords:
Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, atherogenesis, hypertension, dyslipidemia, endothelium, inflammation.
Abstract: Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, both overt and subclinical, are associated with increased
risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The association between thyroid-stimulating
hormone levels and cardiovascular risk has been demonstrated in large epidemiological studies and
meta-analyses and is now considered a U-shaped curve. Several pathophysiological mechanisms
linking thyroid and cardiovascular disease are known; however, specific clinical complications of
peripheral arterial disease as endpoints of clinical trials have not been adequately investigated.
The potential mechanisms linking hypothyroidism and peripheral arterial disease are endothelial
dysfunction, blood pressure changes, dyslipidemia, and low-grade systemic inflammation. The
potential mechanisms linking hyperthyroidism and peripheral arterial disease are hyperdynamic circulation,
elevated systolic blood pressure, hypercoagulability, and possibly increased arterial inflammation.