Abstract

This article provides an insight for healthcare staff who may have limited knowledge of the implications of the pharmacological interventions for hypothyroidism to their everyday practice with patients. The historical perspectives explored in the article provide a contextual backdrop to modern prescribing practice and the specific expertise that this common condition necessitates if side effects are to be actively prevented. The incidence and prevalence rates of hypothyroidism ensure it remains one of the most commonly diagnosed endocrine disorders in medical practice. The article also provides an insight into the most common characteristics of hypothyroidism, with the need for individualised management that encompasses due regard for the physiological impact of the condition in the lives of those people living with the condition. Most importantly, the article provides an opportunity for healthcare staff to reflect with a degree of compassion on their own interaction with patients living with hypothyroidism, in order to maximise the potential of achieving a quality of life that is not characterised by ongoing symptoms of weight gain and tiredness.