Final answer:
The treatment for hyperthyroidism such as Graves' disease includes antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine, and possibly thyroidectomy followed by hormone replacement therapy if thyroid function is lost.
Step-by-step explanation:
The treatment for hyperthyroidism, specifically Graves' disease, includes a range of options such as antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine, and sometimes surgery.
Radioactive iodine is taken orally and gets absorbed by the overactive thyroid cells, destroying them. Antithyroid medications, on the other hand, work by reducing the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland.
Antithyroid drugs like thiourea and thiouracil work by inhibiting thyroperoxidase, thereby reducing thyroid hormone production. Radioactive iodine therapy targets the thyroid gland with I-131 to destroy overactive thyroid tissue, which may correct the hyperthyroidism. In some cases, a thyroidectomy may be necessary, which is the surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland. After such an intervention, patients might need hormone replacement therapy to compensate for the loss of thyroid function.