Hyperthyroidism Causes & Risks

Causes

Graves' disease occurs when:

Immune system produces antibodies that cause the thyroid gland to overproduce thyroid hormone
Thyroid nodules or tumors
Toxic uninodular goiter—a single nodule in the thyroid gland
Toxic multinodular goiter—multiple areas in the thyroid gland which overproduce thyroid hormone
Subacute thyroiditis—inflammation of the thyroid gland (often later leads to hypothyroidism )

Risk Factors

These factors increase your chance of developing Graves' disease:

Sex: female (eight times more common in women)
Age: between 30-40 years old
Pregnancy: postpartum thyroiditis (hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism)
Family history of Graves' disease
Certain viral infections
Smoking

Tell your doctor if you have these risk factors.

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