Key Takeaways
- Understanding graves disease hyperthyroidism seniors autoimmune treatment is important for seniors and their caregivers.
- Younger people may have these symptoms:
- During the physical exam, your health care provider may find:
- Treatment is aimed at controlling your overactive thyroid.
- Graves disease often responds well to treatment.
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Graves disease is an autoimmune disease that leads to an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). An
autoimmune disease
is a condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.
What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
Understanding graves disease hyperthyroidism seniors autoimmune treatment is important for seniors and their caregivers. the thyroid gland is an important organ of the
endocrine system
. The gland is located at the front of the neck above where the collarbones meet. This gland makes and releases the hormones
thyroxine
(T4) and
triiodothyronine
(T3), which control body
metabolism
. Controlling metabolism is important for regulating mood, weight, and mental and physical energy levels.
When the body makes too much thyroid hormone, the condition is called
hyperthyroidism
. (An underactive thyroid leads to
hypothyroidism
.)
Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is due to an abnormal immune system response that causes the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone. Graves disease is most common in women over age 20. But the disorder can occur at any age and can affect men as well.
What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
Younger people may have these symptoms:
- Anxiety or nervousness, as well as problems sleeping
-
Breast enlargement in men
(possible)
- Problems concentrating
-
Fatigue
- Frequent bowel movements
- Hair loss
-
Heat intolerance
and increased sweating
-
Increased appetite
, despite having weight loss
- Irregular menstrual periods in women
- Muscle weakness of the hips and shoulders
- Moodiness, including irritability and anger
-
Palpitations
(sensation of a strong or unusual heartbeat)
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
-
Shortness of breath
with activity
-
Shaking hands (
tremors
)
- Weight loss
Many people with Graves disease have problems with their eyes:
- The eyeballs may seem to be bulging out and may be painful.
- Eyes can feel irritated, itchy, or tear more frequently.
-
Double vision
may be present.
- Decreased vision and damage to the cornea can also occur in severe cases.
Older people may have these symptoms:
-
Rapid or
irregular heartbeat
-
Chest pain
- Memory loss or decreased concentration
- Weakness and fatigue
📖 What Are Exams and Tests?
What Are Exams and Tests?
During the physical exam, your health care provider may find:
- You have an increased heart rate
- Your thyroid gland may be enlarged (goiter)
Other tests include:
- Blood tests to measure levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), T3, and free T4
- Blood tests to detect immune system problems related to the thyroid
-
Radioactive iodine uptake
and
scan
This disease may also affect the following test results:
-
Orbit CT scan
or ultrasound
-
Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin
(TSI)
- Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody
- Anti-TSH receptor antibody (TRAb)
📖 How Is It Treated?
How Is It Treated?
Treatment is aimed at controlling your overactive thyroid. You may receive one or more types of treatment.
Beta-blocker medicines may help treat:
- Rapid heart rate
- Sweating
- Anxiety
They may be given until the hyperthyroidism is controlled.
Antithyroid medicines:
- Block or change how the thyroid gland uses iodine
- May be used to control the overactive thyroid gland before surgery or radioiodine therapy
- May be used as a long-term treatment
Radioactive iodine is given by mouth. It then concentrates in the overactive thyroid tissue and causes damage.
Surgery may be done to remove the thyroid.
If you have had radioactive iodine treatment or surgery, you will need to take replacement thyroid hormones for the rest of your life. This is because these treatments destroy or remove the gland.
TREATMENT OF THE EYES
Some of the eye problems related to Graves disease often improve after treatment with medicines (including selenium), radiation, or surgery. Radioiodine therapy can sometimes make eye problems worse. Eye problems are worse in people who smoke, even after the hyperthyroidism is treated.
Sometimes, prednisone is needed to reduce eye irritation and swelling. Prednisone is a steroid medicine that suppresses the immune system. Other treatments to suppress the immune system may be needed. Ask your provider if these would help you.
Sunglasses, cool compresses, and eye drops may reduce eye irritation. In rare cases, surgery or radiation therapy (different from radioactive iodine) may be needed to prevent further damage to the eye and loss of vision.
📖 What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
Graves disease often responds well to treatment. Thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine often will cause an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Without getting the correct dosage of thyroid hormone replacement, hypothyroidism can lead to:
-
Depression
- Mental and physical sluggishness
- Weight gain
- Dry skin
- Constipation
-
Cold intolerance
- Abnormal menstrual periods in women
📖 When to Contact a Medical Professional?
When to Contact a Medical Professional?
Contact your provider if you have symptoms of Graves disease or your eye problems or other symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment.
Go to the emergency room or call 911 or the local emergency number if you have symptoms of hyperthyroidism with:
-
Decrease in consciousness
- Fever
- Rapid, irregular heartbeat
- Sudden shortness of breath
Diffuse thyrotoxic goiter; Hyperthyroidism – Graves; Thyrotoxicosis – Graves; Exophthalmos – Graves; Ophthalmopathy – Graves; Exophthalmia – Graves; Exorbitism – Graves; Graves’ disease
-
Endocrine glands
-
Thyroid enlargement – scintiscan
-
Graves disease
-
Thyroid gland
Hollenberg A, Wiersinga W, Bartalena L, Feldt-Rasmussen U. Hyperthyroid disorders. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Rosen CJ, Kopp PA, eds.
Williams Textbook of Endocrinology
. 15th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 10.
Pearce EN, Hollenberg AN. Thyroid. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds.
Goldman-Cecil Medicine
. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 207.
Smith JR, Wassner AJ. Thyrotoxicosis. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds.
Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics
. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 606.
Updated by: Sandeep K. Dhaliwal, MD, board-certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Springfield, VA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
-
Hyperthyroidism
Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways
During the physical exam, your health care provider may find:
Treatment is aimed at controlling your overactive thyroid. Graves disease often responds well to treatment.
What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
endocrine system
. The gland is located at the front of the neck above where the collarbones meet.
What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
Anxiety or nervousness, as well as problems sleeping
Breast enlargement in men
(possible)
Problems concentrating
Fatigue
Frequent bowel movements
Hair loss
Heat intolerance
and increased sweating
Increased appetite
, despite having weight loss
Irregular menstrual periods in women
Muscle weakness of the hips and shoulders
Moodiness, including irritability and anger
Palpitations
(sensation of a strong or unusual heartbeat)
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Shortness of breath
with activity
Shaking hands (
tremors
)
Weight loss
Many people with Graves disease have problems with their eyes:
The eyeballs may seem to be bulging out and may be painful. Eyes can feel irritated, itchy, or tear more frequently. Double vision
may be present.
What Are Exams and Tests?
You have an increased heart rate
Your thyroid gland may be enlarged (goiter)
Other tests include:
Blood tests to measure levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), T3, and free T4
Blood tests to detect immune system problems related to the thyroid
Radioactive iodine uptake
and
scan
This disease may also affect the following test results:
Orbit CT scan
or ultrasound
Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin
(TSI)
Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody
Anti-TSH receptor antibody (TRAb)
📖 How Is It Treated?
How Is It Treated?
Rapid heart rate
Sweating
Anxiety
They may be given until the hyperthyroidism is controlled.
About the Author: This article was researched and written by the SilverWell Hub editorial team. It was medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Mitchell, MD, Geriatrics.
Sources: This article is adapted from MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. See our full Medical Disclaimer.
Published: July 26, 2026 | Next review: January 2027
