Other Risk Factors of Thyroid Disease
Hypothyroidism risk factors
As already noted, the main risk factors are being female, having a family history of the disease, pregnancy and childbirth and growing older.
Other factors, while far less common, include:
• Previous thyroid problems, especially treatment for hyperthyroidism;
• Other illnesses such as diabetes, pernicious anemia, vitiligo
• Some medications including lithium and interferon-alfa
• Iodine deficiency (rare in the US where iodine is routinely added to salt, water supplies and foods.
Hyperthyroidism/Graves' disease risk factors
• Female gender. Women are more likely to develop hyperthyroidism than men
• Family history. People who have close relatives with thyroid disease
• Autoimmune diseases or Type 1 Diabetes
• Cigarette smoking. People who smoke have about twice the risk of getting Graves' disease and seven time the risk of developing a Graves' opthalmopathy
• A history of recent stressful life events, like divorce or loss of a job
• Living in an area where iodine intake is high.
