Thyroid Hormone and Heart Disease

[shaws]

An excerpt:-

Hunt Study (in April 2008)Shows Thyroid Prevents Heart Attacks by Jeffrey Dach MD

In 1976 Broda Barnes was the first to connect low thyroid function with heart disease in his book Name Your Link

How did Broda Barnes discover the connection between low thyroid and heart disease? Barnes took summer vacations in Graz Austria every year to study the autopsy files. Graz had a high prevalence of thyroid disorders, and anyone in Graz who died over the past 100 years required an autopsy to determine cause of death, as mandated by the authorities. This rather large amount of autopsy data showed that low thyroid patients survived the usual childhood infectious diseases thanks to the invention of antibiotics, and years later develop heart disease. Barnes also found that thyroid treatment was protective in preventing heart attacks, based on his own clinical experience. Likewise for diabetes, Dr. Barnes found that adding thyroid medication was beneficial at preventing the onset of vascular disease in diabetics. Again, blood tests are usually normal. New research like the Hunt Study confirms that Broda Barnes was right all along, creating a paradigm shift in thyroid treatment, and constituting a frontal assault on the Institution of Medicine's thyroid dogma. (see image above)

The Hunt Study measured thyroid function with the TSH test in 17,000 women and 8,000 men with no known thyroid disease or heart disease. All patients had "normal TSH" levels meaning the TSH values were in the lab reference range of 0.5 to 3.5. The women were stratified into three groups, lower TSH, intermediate and upper TSH levels, and mortality from heart disease was recorded over an 8 year observation period.

(see chart below).

70% Increase in Heart Disease Mortality for TSH in Upper Normal Range

Heart Attack with Occluded Artery The Hunt study found that group with the higher TSH had a 70% increased mortality from heart disease compared to the lower TSH group. Remember all these TSH vales were in the normal lab range. See chart below for results of the Hunt Study:

Results of the Hunt Study below:

TSH Death from Heart Disease

Group 1 0.50-1.4 baseline risk

Group 2 1.5-2.4 40% higher than baseline

Group 3 2.5-3.5 70% higher than baseline

Excerpt:

Hunt Study Shows Thyroid Prevents Heart Attacks by Jeffrey Dach MD

In 1976 Broda Barnes was the first to connect low thyroid function with heart disease in his book Name Your Link

How did Broda Barnes discover the connection between low thyroid and heart disease? Barnes took summer vacations in Graz Austria every year to study the autopsy files. Graz had a high prevalence of thyroid disorders, and anyone in Graz who died over the past 100 years required an autopsy to determine cause of death, as mandated by the authorities. This rather large amount of autopsy data showed that low thyroid patients survived the usual childhood infectious diseases thanks to the invention of antibiotics, and years later develop heart disease. Barnes also found that thyroid treatment was protective in preventing heart attacks, based on his own clinical experience. Likewise for diabetes, Dr. Barnes found that adding thyroid medication was beneficial at preventing the onset of vascular disease in diabetics. Again, blood tests are usually normal. New research like the Hunt Study confirms that Broda Barnes was right all along, creating a paradigm shift in thyroid treatment, and constituting a frontal assault on the Institution of Medicine's thyroid dogma. (see image above)

This Finding is Earthshaking !! This means that merely by taking natural thyroid pills to reduce TSH to the low end of "normal" (0.5), one can reduce death from cardiovascular disease by 70 percent. This mortality benefit is mind boggling and far exceeds any drug intervention available.

[shaws Administrator]

This is the link for the above Post. I've been having some problems with HU.

drdach.com/Thyroid_Hunt_Stu...

[Treepie in reply to shaws]

Missed this first time,too many posts to keep up! Very interesting.

[Marz in reply to shaws]

shaws - wonder if Dr Kendrick would be interested. He has done over a dozen VERY detailed blogs on his website about - What Really Causes Heart Disease. Am sure he is aware - yes of course he is - and I think it is possibly a work in progress !

[Coastwalker]

Thanks shaws, I had an inkling low thyroid was connected to diabettes (and Heart disease)

3 in my family have had patterns of first diagnosed diabettes then low thyroid, but looking back on them all, (sadly two have passed away,) I believe they have been over looked and/or under treated for low thyroid which lead onto them becoming diabetic. - My own personal thoughts of course.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Coastwalker]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. A survey should be done, i.e. If you've been diagnosed with diabetes or cancer or heart problems plus hypothyroidism, what came first? I think they're all interconnected. As we know many aren't diagnosed as hypo due to the blood test results but may have had widespread clinical symptoms, about which doctors are ignorant and pay no attention.

[Coastwalker in reply to shaws]

Can a survey be done on Thyroid UK maybe ? - Just a thought shaws.

[Marz in reply to Coastwalker]

Thyroid and Heart Failure - a book on amazon and you can look inside. It is full of selected researches from around the world connecting the Endocrine system with the Heart - brought together by an Endocrinologist and a Cardiologist for research purposes for the first time. Italian - hence the dramatic title I saved and bought the book - of course it is very technical so I mostly read the introduction and the conclusion !

I read recently that all diabetics should have their thyroids checked as both the pancreas and the thyroid are part of the all important Endocrine system. Even if they do - they will only test the TSH and declare them normal if they are in range - so again people will be missed. Adding to the already HUGE bill for treating diabetes and follow-on conditions. So sad ....

[Coastwalker in reply to Marz]

I too believe everyone with diabettes should have their thyroids checked M.

My Sister in law (diabettes, then partial thyroid taken out many years ago) told me just a few days before she died 'you were right, Dr. said it was my thyroid' but by then it was too late.

So agree M, the NHS could save so much if they just tested 'everyone' (correctly) for thyroid problems.

[Marz in reply to Coastwalker]

amazon.co.uk/Thyroid-Heart-...

M

[Coastwalker in reply to Marz]

Thanks for your linky M, I nearly had heart failure at the price.

[Marz in reply to Coastwalker]

Still working at 70 so do have treats !! Surrounded by people with heart issues so thought it would be useful 🐶

[Coastwalker in reply to Marz]

You deserve many more treats M if you are still working at 70, amazing, hoping I am as fit at 70 too.

I don't get time to read books M.

'Thyroid and Heart Failure' no doubt is a top book, especially if you recommend it. You said it was a bit technical and that you only managed to read the intro and conclusion, so I'm sure that would go over my head.

Sally P's book is still on my list of to dos.

I especially want to read that one, even if it takes me a while to get through it

Yes you do very well M, best to keep on the move with good nutrition and supplements, it keeps our bodys ticking over nicely, Which reminds me that all the clocks go back an hour here in UK tonight, so we'll all start to hibernate for winter and exercise will be out the window till spring. I do envy you living in the warm sunshine M

[Marz in reply to Coastwalker]

Today the clouds are dark and low and it rained overnight. Also colder. Our clocks change too.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Coastwalker]

The only problem is that in the UK your has to be 10 and if you read the link I put above you will be surprised, I'm sure.

[Coastwalker in reply to shaws]

Can't understand why still in UK Your TSH has to be 10 or over when the TSH reference range is actually a lot lower anyway.

Brilliant link, yes I was surprised shaws (Hunt Study) sounds like there might be light at the end of the tunnel after all ?

I re read your link again today, from it I found another link- Does Your Doctor Know Enough To Treat Your Thyroid and I printed off the title itself and two more pages (might come in handy )

Good to hear more Endos and Physicians are starting to realize that a TSH over 2.5 indicates a thyroid problem, but how many years do we have to wait till it is put into the guidelines ?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Coastwalker]

We shall be probably dead and buried before the BTA recant on the 10. Imagine how long it takes for gland to eventually rise for us to have symptoms and being told (like very many) that TSH is not yet high enough when its around 6.

I haven't got round to reading BTAs new guidelines yet - taken, it would appear, from the ATA. So will be interesting.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Coastwalker]

Hunt study was in 2008! It goes to show no or few studies are read or accepted.

[Coastwalker in reply to shaws]

Yes I did think that shaws. One minute it feels like we are steaming ahead with progress, next they let us down again, but at least it is all networking out to more and more patients and medics. Word soon gets around.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Marz]

I did a post the other day and it did give the TSH (lowish) levels which people have died of heart attacks. We all know someone who has died, unexpectedly, through heart attacks and cannot believe it as they all looked so healthy. I think they should also take TSH levels as well as whatever else they do to confirm the death.

answers.yahoo.com/question/...