World Thyroid Day was observed at Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital (KGMCH) here on Wednesday.
The hospital management organised a special seminar on ‘Thyroid’, which was inaugurated by Dean S. Vadivel Murugan, in the presence of Medical Superintendent M. Radhakrishnan and other heads of the departments.
Endocrinologists, who addressed the seminar, said that thyroid was a small gland at the base of the neck that regulated body metabolism. If the metabolism was slow, the gland would not produce the required quantity of a hormone (hypothyroidism). If the metabolic rate was high, it would produce excess quantity of it (hyperthyroidism). Treatment revolved around keeping the metabolic rate normal.
Thyroid diseases could also be due to chemicals people were exposed to over a period of time through foods, contaminated drinking water, pollution in environment and cosmetics, they added.
The symptoms could be gynaecological, digestive, cardiovascular, psychological, and skin-related disorders.
Thyroid disorders today could be more indicative of higher cholesterol level, infertility, mental imbalance or digestive problems. In children it affected physical and mental development.
In pregnant women, the metabolic rate of the body would be at a different level. Menopausal women were more at risk for thyroid disorders, they noted.
Universal iodisation of salt has to a large extent helped to check hypothyroidism in people, especially in pregnant women. Ten per cent of the population was prone to thyroid disorder, they added.
Dr. Usha proposed vote of thanks.
