Assessing cardiovascular changes in Iraqi women with hypothyroidism

This study aimed to investigate the cardiovascular changes associated with hypothyroidism, a topic that has received significant research attention. Although only a limited number of studies have been conducted in Iraq to evaluate cardiac parameters in patients with hypothyroidism, it is widely recognized that hypothyroidism can lead to reversible cardiac dysfunction in humans. The study enrolled 100 subjects, of which 50 were diagnosed with hypothyroidism and 50 without hypothyroidism. Medical history and body mass index (BMI) were recorded for each patient, and lipid profile, thyroid function tests, ECG, and echocardiogram results were obtained. The results revealed significant differences in the thyroid functions of hypothyroid patients compared to healthy controls, except for HDL-C, which did not show any significant difference. Hypothyroid patients had higher triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and lower HDL-C, while LDL, LDL-C, VLDL, and VLDL-C were within normal range. Patients with hypothyroidism showed a higher prevalence of ECG and echocardiogram abnormalities, including diastolic dysfunction and pericardial effusion, compared to the control subjects. Our findings suggest that hypothyroidism can affect the cardiovascular system, with the degree of impact depending on TSH elevation.