Hypothyroidism is an entity that we all encounter in clinical
practice, some more frequently than others. At times, this may be due to a
referral where another physician has already checked a patient’s thyroid
function and made a biochemical diagnosis.
However, very often we are faced with the dilemma of whether
we should check the thyroid function of a patient with subtle non-specific
complaints. Here, we try to rely on our clinical judgment and strive to
appropriately utilize healthcare resources. Scenarios such as this give rise to
a host of questions…most importantly…whom do we screen?
There are certain populations around the world
that are at a higher risk of having hypothyroidism i.e. those who live in areas of iodine
deficiency. This cohort alarmingly accounts for approximately 1/3 of the
world’s population and resides in areas such as the mountainous regions of
Central Africa, Latin-America and South-East Asia.
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