“Both are disorders of the thyroid gland, but each are completely different in the affect on the organ causing opposite problems.

Confused about the difference between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism? You’re not alone. The similar-sounding terms can easily be mistaken for one another, but they have very different—actually opposite—meanings:

Hyperthyroidism (“hyper,” meaning “more”) is when there is too much thyroid hormone in the body.

Hypothyroidism (“hypo,” meaning “less”) is when there is not enough thyroid hormone in the body.”

endocrineweb (https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/hyperthyroidism-vs-hypothyroidism)

“January is National Thyroid Awareness Month. According to the American Thyroid Association, 1 in 10 people suffer from a thyroid disorder. They also found that at least 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime.

Did you know, more than half of the people in America that suffer from a thyroid disorder are undiagnosed? Raising awareness about the thyroid is important because it plays a significant role in the human body.

The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located just above your collarbone and in front of the windpipe. This gland controls numerous important functions in the human body.”

The Surgical Clinic (https://thesurgicalclinics.com/national-thyroid-awareness-month/)

“The damage caused by glaucoma can’t be reversed. But treatment and regular checkups can help slow or prevent vision loss, especially if you catch the disease in its early stages.

Glaucoma is treated by lowering intraocular pressure. There are treatment options.  Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eye drops. ”

MAYO CLINIC (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glaucoma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372846)

“Secondary glaucoma is the name used to describe glaucomas that occur as a side effect or “secondary” to another underlying medical condition or trauma. This differs from primary glaucoma, where there’s no identifiable cause for the glaucoma to develop. Even though the cause of primary and secondary glaucomas may be different, the increase in eye pressure and the resulting damage to the optic nerve are the same.”

Glaucoma UK (https://glaucoma.uk/about-glaucoma/what-is-glaucoma/secondary-glaucomas/)

“The two main types of glaucoma are Open-Angle and Angle-Closure. But did you know that there are at least eight additional types of glaucoma? Most other types of glaucoma are variations of the open-angle or angle-closure types. These glaucoma types can occur in one or both eyes. What most types of glaucoma have in common is an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye.”

Glaucoma Research Foundation (https://glaucoma.org/learn-about-glaucoma/types-of-glaucoma/)

“Tetralogy of Fallot (teh-TRAL-uh-jee of fuh-LOW) is a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that are present at birth (congenital).

These defects, which affect the structure of the heart, cause oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and to the rest of the body. Infants and children with tetralogy of Fallot usually have blue-tinged skin because their blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen.

Tetralogy of Fallot is often diagnosed while the baby is an infant or soon after.  There are times it is diagnosed later in life; it depends on the severity or the condition.”

MAYO CLINIC

What is it?

A heart defect that features four problems.

They are:

• a hole between the lower chambers of the heart
• an obstruction from the heart to the lungs
• The aorta (blood vessel) lies over the hole in the lower chambers
• The muscle surrounding the lower right chamber becomes overly thickened

More information for parents of children with Tetralogy of Fallot

What causes it?

In most children, the cause of tetralogy of Fallot isn’t known. It’s a common type of heart defect. It may be seen more commonly in children with Down syndrome or DiGeorge syndrome. Some children can have other heart defects along with tetralogy of Fallot.

How does it affect the heart?

Normally the left side of the heart only pumps blood to the body, and the heart’s right side only pumps blood to the lungs. In a child with tetralogy of Fallot, blood can travel across the hole (VSD) from the right pumping chamber (right ventricle) to the left pumping chamber (left ventricle) and out into the body artery (aorta). Obstruction in the pulmonary valve leading from the right ventricle to the lung artery prevents the normal amount of blood from being pumped to the lungs. Sometimes the pulmonary valve is completely obstructed (pulmonary atresia).

How does tetralogy of Fallot affect my child?

Infants and young children with unrepaired tetralogy of Fallot are often blue (cyanotic). The reason is that some oxygen-poor blood is pumped to the body through the hole in the wall between the right and left ventricle instead of being pumped to the lungs.

What can be done about tetralogy of Fallot?

Tetralogy of Fallot is treated surgically. A temporary operation may be done at first if the baby is small or if there are other problems. Complete repair comes later. Sometimes the first operation is a complete repair.

Temporary Operation

In some infants, a shunt operation may be done first to provide adequate blood flow to the lungs. This is not open-heart surgery and doesn’t fix the inside of the heart. The shunt is usually a small tube of synthetic material sewn between a body artery (or the aorta) and the pulmonary artery. The shunt is closed when a complete repair is done later.

Complete Repair

Complete repair tends to be done early in life. The surgeon closes the ventricular septal defect with a patch and opens the right ventricular outflow tract by removing some thickened muscle below the pulmonary valve, repairing or removing the obstructed pulmonary valve and, if needed, enlarging the branch pulmonary arteries that go to each lung.

Sometimes a tube is placed between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. This is sometimes called a Rastelli repair. It’s similar to the type of repair used for some other heart defects.

Will my child’s activities be limited?

Your child may need to limit physical activity, particularly for competitive sports, if there is leftover obstruction or leak in the pulmonary valve, which is common after repair. Children with decreased heart function or rhythm disturbances may need to limit their activity more.

If the tetralogy has been repaired with surgery, and there’s no obstruction or leak in the pulmonary valve, your child may be able to participate in normal activities without much increased risk.

Your child’s pediatric cardiologist will help decide if your child needs limits on physical activity.

What will my child need in the future?

If your child has had tetralogy of Fallot repaired, he or she will need regular follow-up with a pediatric cardiologist. As an adult, your child will need lifelong regular follow-up with a cardiologist who’s had special training in congenital heart defects.

Some long-term problems can include leftover or worsening obstruction between the right pumping chamber and the lung arteries. Children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot have a higher risk of heart rhythm disturbances called arrhythmias. Sometimes these may cause dizziness or fainting.

Generally, the long-term outlook is good, but some children may need medicines, heart catheterization or even more surgery.

What about preventing endocarditis?

Children with tetralogy of Fallot are at increased risk for endocarditis. Some children, including those have had a valve replacement, still have a shunt or have leaks around surgical patches, and need to take antibiotics before certain dental procedures to help prevent endocarditis.

“Truncus arteriosus occurs in less than one out of every 10,000 live births. Truncus arteriosus occurs in less than one out of every 10,000 live births. It can occur by itself or as part of certain genetic disorders. There are about 250 cases of truncus arteriosus per year in the United States.

Before a baby is born, the fetus’s blood does not need to go to the lungs to get oxygenated. The ductus arteriosus is a hole that allows the blood to skip the circulation to the lungs. Every baby is born with a ductus arteriosus. After birth, the opening is no longer needed and it usually narrows and closes within the first few days.  In most children, the cause of PDA isn’t known. Some children can have other heart defects along with the PDA.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov)

“Birth defects are common, costly, and critical conditions that affect 1 in every 33 babies born in the United States each year. Every 4 ½ minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. That means nearly 120,000 babies are affected by birth defects each year. Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (e.g., heart, brain, foot). They may affect how the body looks, works, or both.”

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/facts.html)

“This preconception visit can also encourage women to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. I counsel all of my patients that they will gain weight in pregnancy, and so they should start the pregnancy at a healthy weight. I encourage regular exercise even prior to becoming pregnant, and then continuing that level of activity during pregnancy. Being at a healthy weight prior to conceiving and maintaining a healthy weight throughout pregnancy can help decrease your risk of developing diabetes or elevated blood pressure during pregnancy. Having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above can also increase your risk of birth defects, which is why maintaining a healthy weight is also important.”

Harvard Health Publishing (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-can-you-do-to-reduce-the-risk-of-birth-defects-2020012218703)