Drugs and Thyroid

Many prescriptions and over-the-counter medications affect thyroid function or the performance of thyroid laboratory testing. The effects range from asymptomatic or spurious changes in laboratory results to severe thyroid dysfunction. It is essential to understand these changes and interactions in order to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment in clinically euthyroid individuals and to anticipate potential adjustments to nonthyroid therapy for patients with underlying thyroid dysfunction, as well as the adverse thyroid effects that may result from the use of these medications.