THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF HYPERTENSION IN TOXIC GOITER AND IN MYXEDEMA*

Abstract

Observations of the blood pressure have been made in 149 cases of toxic goiter and in 24 cases of myxedema, before and after the basal metabolism had been restored to normal by appropriate treatment. These observations are summarized in Tables 1 and 2, and for comparison with them, the blood pressures in a series of cases of non-toxic goiter are recorded in Table 3. It may be noted that 70 (47 per cent) of the patients with toxic goiter had a systolic blood pressure of 140 or over and 53 (35.5 per cent) of 150 or over, after the basal metabolism had been restored to the standard normal level. Of the 84 patients who were 40 years of age and over, 44 (52 percent) had systolic blood pressures of 150 and over under these circumstances. From the standpoint of prognosis, it may be seen from Tables 4 and 5, and Charts 1 and 2, that if the diastolie pressure is 100 or more before treatment is started, the systolic pressure will almost surely be 150 or higher when the metabolism is normal; and if the systolic pressure is 190 or more before treatment, it is highly probable that hypertension will be present after treatment.