Thyroxine hormone testing is useful in checking the function of the thyroid gland, whether it works well or if it has problems.
The thyroid gland will produce thyroid hormones. Meanwhile, thyroid hormone consists of 80% thyroxine hormone and 20% triiodotironin hormone.
Knowing the condition of the thyroid gland
For adults, thyroid hormones are needed to regulate the need to use incoming energy that influences the body's metabolism. In children, thyroid hormone plays an important role in accompanying normal growth and development. Meanwhile, the functions of the thyroxine and triiodotyronine hormones also support the development of the brain of a newborn baby.
Thyroxine hormone testing can help your doctor determine the condition of your thyroid gland. An excess or deficiency of thyroid hormone risks causing hyperthyroidism or hypotioroidism or other conditions that can interfere with bodily functions. In addition, thyroxine hormone examination also serves to see the effectiveness of treatment for thyroid disease and to check whether the baby has a congenital thyroid problem that can affect its growth.
Thyroxine (T4) hormone examination procedure is classified as having no specific risk. The risk arises when the procedure for taking blood is carried out. You may experience pain and discomfort during the blood draw procedure. You can also feel bruises and bleeding after the blood collection needle is pulled.
In rare cases, you can experience serious complications in the form of excessive bleeding, infection, or inflammation of the veins.
Inspection Steps
There are two types of thyroxine hormone testing: total T4 levels and free T4 levels. Total T4 examination measures the overall thyroxine hormone, both those that have been bound to proteins in the blood and free T4. Meanwhile, free T4 examination only measures the level of the free thyroxine hormone.
The preparation step for the examination of the thyroxine hormone is to inform the doctor about the treatment being undertaken. A number of drugs can affect the level of the hormone thyroxine in the thyroid gland. So it is important to inform the doctor about the medicines that are being consumed.
You may be advised to stop taking certain medicines for a while. Some medications that can affect the level of the thyroxine hormone, namely:
- Medications that contain estrogen, androgen or contraceptive pills.
- Some drugs are taken to treat cancer.
- Steroids and other drugs that can affect the thyroid.
Thyroxine hormone examination procedures must be carried out by a doctor or professional health worker. The doctor will initiate the taking of blood that is put into a special tube or small bottle, then taken to the laboratory and examined.
The results of normal levels of thyroxine in the blood range from 4.5 to 11.2 micrograms per deciliter. High thyroxine hormone levels can indicate hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, high blood protein levels and others. Meanwhile, low levels of the thyroxine hormone can indicate hypothyroidism, malnutrition or other diseases.
Perform thyroxine hormone levels according to doctor's advice. If the doctor has not been able to deduce your condition from these results, chances are the doctor will ask you to do a further examination.
