Hypothyroidism - The prevalence of hypothyroidism in the geriatric practice population of an academic department of family medicine

Abstract

The geriatric patient population (patients 65 years old and older) forms a growing part of the patients using primary medical care due to an increased life expectancy. In a study at the HF Verwoerd Hospital in Pretoria, it was found that 25% of the almost 55 000 consultations during 1993 were with geriatric patients, many of them complaining of tiredness and loss of energy with a low quality of life.