What Is the Treatment of Primary Hypothyroidism?
First-Line Treatment Approach
The cornerstone of treatment is oral thyroid hormone replacement. Proper timing of administration — relative to food intake and certain other medications — is a critical factor in achieving consistent absorption. The complete dosing strategy and administration details are in the full protocol.
Treatment target:
TSH within the normal range (0.4 to 4.5 mIU/L), rechecked at six to eight weeks after initiating therapy.
References
- Symptom relief and normalized thyroid-stimulating hormone levels are achieved with levothyroxine replacement therapy, started at 1.5 to 1.8 mcg per kg per day.
- Levothyroxine should be taken once per day, 30 to 60 minutes before eating, and four hours before or after drugs that may impede absorption (Table 5).
- In patients who are not pregnant, TSH should be monitored every six to eight weeks until within normal range, then every six to 12 months, barring a change in clinical status.
View source ↗