Hyperthyroidism Description Hyperthyroidism means an overactivity of the thyroid gland, resulting in too much thyroid hormone in the bloodstream. The oversecretion of thyroid hormones leads to overactivity of the body's metabolism.
Hyperthyroidism exists in several different forms.
Graves' disease is most often associated with hyperthyroidism. Graves' disease is suspected to be caused by an antibody which overstimulates the thyroid, resulting in excess production of thyroid hormone. The disease is most common in young to middle-aged women and tends to run in families. Toxic nodular goiter or multinodular goiter . Hyperthyroidism caused by toxic nodular goiter is where one or more nodules of the thyroid becomes overactive.