Thyrotoxicosis. Results and risks of current therapy.

Effective therapy for thyrotoxicosis hinges on prompt recognition of the syndrome. When the diagnosis is suspected clinically but is not certain, the free thyroxine index is the most cost-effective test to order initially. The thyroidal radioactive iodine (123I) uptake is measured to differentiate Graves' disease from thyroiditis and other forms of thyrotoxicosis. Definitive therapy includes antithyroid drugs, iodine 131, and surgery. Patient preference has a large role in the final therapeutic choice.