Compared with adults with normal thyroid function, congestive heart failure was about twice as common in patients with moderate or severe asymptomatic hypothyroidism.
The researchers defined moderate asymptomatic hypothyroidism as a TSH level of 7.0 to 9.9 mIU/L and severe asymptomatic hypothyroidism as a TSH of 10 mIU/L or greater. Compared with study participants with normal thyroid function, older adults with TSH levels of 7.0 mIU/L or higher had a two- to three-fold increased risk of congestive heart failure. The rate of new or recurrent heart failure was also increased in this group.
Heart failure was not increased among those with TSH levels between 4.5 and 6.9 mIU/L, which indicated mild asymptomatic hypothyroidism.
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