hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism, abbreviated as hypothyroidism, is a clinical syndrome caused by a decrease in metabolic activity due to thyroid hormone deficiency. Onset in adulthood is called "adult hypothyroidism." Severe cases manifest as myxedema, hence also called "myxedema." Comatose cases are called "myxedema coma." Onset during the embryonic or infantile period severely affects brain and physical growth and development, resulting in cretinism, also known as "cretinism" or "cretinism." Mild cases may have no obvious clinical manifestations, while severe cases may present with characteristic non-pitting edema caused by mucopolysaccharide infiltration of the skin, such as characteristic myxedema, expressionless face, slow response, rough skin, pale complexion, edema of the eyelids and face, narrow palpebral fissures, difficulty opening the eyes, thick lips and enlarged tongue, sparse, dry, and falling hair, loss of the outer one-third of the eyebrows, hoarse voice, monotonous frog-like voice, hearing loss, intolerance to cold, cold extremities, intellectual decline, somnolence or insomnia with dizziness, slow and uncoordinated movements, loss of appetite, constipation, shortness of breath and fatigue, brittle and thickened nails, non-pitting edema of both lower limbs, weight gain, delayed Achilles tendon reflex, decreased libido, impotence in men, menstrual irregularities or amenorrhea in women, facial edema, and other symptoms of decreased metabolism.