When it comes to infants and children, there are also some important thyroid disease/heart disease links to be aware of:
- Iodine Exposure -- Exposure to iodine, such as might occur during cardiac catheterisation or surgery, may induce a transient form of hypothyroidism in infants.
- Amiodarone/Heart Drug -- The heart drug amiodarone, which is an extremely effective treatment for infants and children with tachyarrhythmias that resist conventional treatment, may also cause hypothyroidism as a side effect.
- Neonatal Hyperthyroidism -- When a mother is hyperthyroid, thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin can cross the placental barrier and stimulate the fetal thyroid gland, causing neonatal hyperthyroidism. This condition can cause tachycardia, bounding pulses, systolic hypertension, a precordial systolic murmur, and sometimes congestive heart failure, in infants. Other common symptoms are poor weight gain, nervousness or irritability, and prominent eyes.
- Delayed Treatment for Neonatal Hyperthyroidism -- If treatment for neonatal hyperthyroidism is delayed or inadequate, potentially fatal arrhythmias and cardiac failure may develop.
- Congenital Cardiac Anomalies -- These anomalies are more common in infants with congenital hypothyroidism than in the average population
