The heart in hyperthyroidism

Abstract

Cardiac disorders, which, for lack of better designation, are vaguely labelled as "Myocarditis", will very often be found to be nothing else but the main manifestation, sometimes the only manifestation, of a diseased thyroid, if the effect of hypersecretion of this gland on the circulatory system is kept in mind. In the case where the cardiac condition is accompanied by all the classical signs of hyperthyroidism, the real cause of the mischief is, of course, evident, but the difficulty arises where the thyroid enlargement is not at all conspicuous and where the usual signs and symptoms do not accompany the circulatory disturbances.