Is hyperthyroid heart disease dangerous?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on February 25, 2025
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Hyperthyroidism can repeatedly cause an increase in heart rate and metabolism, which is quite active, causing a long-term overload of heart function, leading to the formation of hyperthyroid heart disease, a chronic pathological change process. In the middle and early stages, it generally does not pose a life-threatening risk, only manifesting symptoms such as palpitations, tightness after activity, breathlessness, or chest tightness, which can improve with rest. However, if hyperthyroidism is not cured for a long time, or if hyperthyroid heart disease is not treated in time, it can lead to severe heart failure. If there is a severe decline in heart pump function, causing the ejection fraction to be below 30%, it can easily cause sudden pump failure or severe arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, posing a life-threatening risk to the patient.

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Written by Li Tao
Pulmonology
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How is cor pulmonale treated?

Cor pulmonale refers to the disease characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance due to pathological changes in the bronchi, lung tissue, thorax, or pulmonary vessels, leading to pulmonary arterial pressure and subsequently causing changes in the structure and function of the right ventricle. When cor pulmonale occurs, treatment is generally divided into the acute exacerbation phase where active control of infections, clearing of the airways, improvement of respiratory function, correction of hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention, control of respiratory failure and acute heart failure, and management of complications are emphasized. During the chronic remission phase, the goal is to enhance the patient's immune function, eliminate triggering factors, reduce or avoid the occurrence of acute exacerbations, and partially or fully restore cardiopulmonary function.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Is hyperthyroid heart disease difficult to treat?

Hyperthyroidism occurs when an excessive amount of T3 and T4 is released by the thyroid gland, leading to hyperactive metabolism throughout the body. This can cause disturbances in autonomic nervous function or receptor hyperactivity, resulting in a series of conditions related to excessive cardiac load and insufficient blood supply. Therefore, the majority of hyperthyroidism-related heart diseases improve after controlling the hyperthyroidism and are relatively easy to treat. However, if the thyroid function is not controlled repeatedly, or if the treatment is not effective, it may lead to severe enlargement of the heart and recurrent arrhythmias, making hyperthyroid heart disease difficult to cure. Nonetheless, such cases are relatively rare, with an incidence of less than 10%.

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Written by Hao Ze Rui
Pulmonology
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Complications of cor pulmonale

Complications of cor pulmonale commonly include several conditions. The first is pulmonary encephalopathy, caused by respiratory failure leading to hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention, which can cause somnolence in patients and, in severe cases, lead to coma. The second is acid-base imbalance and electrolyte disturbances. Cor pulmonale may present with various electrolyte disturbances, such as hyponatremia and hypokalemia. The third is arrhythmias, most commonly manifesting as atrial premature beats or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. The fourth complication is shock. Shock is not very common in cor pulmonale, but if it occurs, the prognosis is poor.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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Can people with heart disease soak their feet?

Patients with heart disease can soak their feet. Soaking feet can dilate peripheral blood vessels, promote the expansion of capillaries, accelerate blood flow, and help invigorate the blood and remove stasis. Especially when soaking feet, adding some blood-activating and channel-unblocking medicines can achieve better effects. Foot soaking for patients with heart disease can dilate peripheral blood vessels, reduce the blood returning to the heart, and lessen the burden on the heart. Particularly for patients with coronary artery atherosclerosis, foot soaking can enhance blood flow and invigorate the blood, which is beneficial for heart disease patients. However, do not soak for too long and the water level should not be too high.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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Can people with heart disease drink alcohol?

Patients with heart disease should not drink alcohol, especially those with severe heart conditions, including heart failure and arrhythmias. Drinking alcohol can excite the sympathetic nervous system, increase heart rate, enhance myocardial oxygen consumption, increase cardiac burden, and worsen arrhythmias and heart failure. Additionally, patients with organic heart disease who regularly require medication should avoid alcohol. Alcohol can chemically interact with certain medications or reduce their effectiveness, potentially harming the body.