Medscape Takes Up The T3 Controversy

[tex]

Hi All,

Since many practicing physicians are said to be inclined to trust the medical news that appears on Medscape, I found the article at the following link to be very interesting:

To T3 or Not: What's the Story on Combo Therapy in Hypothyroidism?

You have to be registered on the site in order to be able to read Medscape articles, but all that is required for registration is an email address (and they are not going to sell it to any spammers). Medscape is arguably one of the best (if not The best) sources of medical information on the web.

Anyway, apparently The American Thyroid Association has not completely closed the door to the use of T3 supplements (though they have certainly continued to discourage it) — they have just maintained the position that it should not be used routinely. In cases where T4 does not resolve clinical symptoms, then T3 is an option at the discretion of the doctor (as it presumably always has been ). The bad news of course is that the new guidelines don't mandate at least a trial with T3 in all cases. As a result, many hypothyroid patients are still likely to be improperly treated because the report is not likely to persuade doctors to budge on their treatment habits.

Tex

[Deb]

Very interesting. I especially liked this

The ATA guidelines acknowledge Dr Hoang's study on desiccated thyroid and have removed a recommendation that products such as Armour "should not be used."

but not this

But they still "strongly recommend" levothyroxine over the use of desiccated-thyroid extracts in the routine care of primary hypothyroidism

I think they'll get there eventually! Crossing fingers! Deb

[tex]

I think they'll get there eventually! Crossing fingers!

I sure hope so. The wheels of progress always seem to turn ridiculously slow when it comes to owning up to (and correcting) mistaken treatment guidelines that doctors have followed for many years.

Tex