Endocrine Abstracts

Summary: Hypothyroidism is a frequent and generally chronic pathology. Hypothyroid patients, particularly women of childbearing age, the elderly and/or cardiac patients, need to have a minimum level of knowledge of their pathology. The aim of our study was to assess the level of knowledge of a group of hypothyroid patients. The study involved 140 hypothyroid patients over a period of 06 months. The evaluation was carried out using a questionnaire, and the responses were recorded and analyzed using Excel software. 88.7% of patients knew that they had a hypo functioning thyroid gland, with 84% identifying the cause of hypothyroidism. 85% knew how to take L-Thyroxine, 22% had an idea of the notion of drug interactions, 2% knew the signs of overdosage and only 3% knew the signs of underdosage. In the case of 52 patients of childbearing age, 92% are unaware that pre-conceptional balancing is compulsory, compared with 8% who are already aware of it. Hypothyroidism is a frequent pathology, predominantly female. It corresponds to a thyroid hormone deficiency, either due to primary thyroid gland or hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis disease. It’s often requiring lifelong treatment. If left untreated or inadequately treated, hypothyroidism can have harmful consequences. It can lead to myxedematous coma, cardiovascular complications such as coronary insufficiency, heart failure and conduction disorders, and sleep apnea syndrome. On the other hand, if over-treated, it can lead to osteoporosis and/or atrial fibrillation, as well as impaired quality of life secondary to signs of thyrotoxicosis. Hypothyroid patients must have a minimum of knowledge about how to take L-Thyorxine, the duration of treatment, the risk of drug interactions and the signs and complications of over- and under-dosing. Women of childbearing age must be informed about the obligation of preconception balance. They also need to know how to increase their doses if a pregnancy occurs without being scheduled, while waiting to see their treating physicians. This underlines the major importance of therapeutic education in avoiding the complications mentioned below. Our present survey reveals a significant lack of knowledge among hypothyroid patients, and has enabled us to re-educate this group of patients. Medical prescription must be backed up by proper therapeutic education, which remains a cornerstone of chronic disease management.