Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 1998;36:1-3; doi:10.1136/dtb.1998.3611
Copyright © 1998 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

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Managing subclinical hypothyroidism

Relevant BNF section: 6.2.1

In a patient with overt primary hypothyroidism, management is usually straightforward: treatment with thyroxine should be offered to anyone with characteristic clinical features, a raised serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration and a low serum thyroxine (T4) concentration. More difficult is the management of a patient with subclinical hypothyroidism, in whom serum TSH is raised but T4 level is normal, and who is either asymptomatic or has only non-specific symptoms. Left untreated, some of these patients will eventually develop overt hypothyroidism. Here we discuss the use of thyroxine in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.