Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease. It most commonly affects the thyroid, frequently causing it to enlarge to twice its size or more (goiter), become overactive, with related hyperthyroid symptoms such as increased heartbeat, muscle weakness, disturbed sleep, and irritability. It can also affect the eyes, causing bulging eyes (exophthalmos). It affects other systems of the body, including the skin, heart, circulation and nervous system.
It affects up to 2% of the female population, sometimes appears after childbirth, and has a female:male incidence of 5:1 to 10:1.[citation needed] Hereditary factors are the major risk factor for the development of Graves disease, with "79% of the liability to the development of GD ... attributable to genetic factors".[1] Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke is associated with the eye manifestations but not the thyroid manifestations.
Diagnosis is usually made on the basis of symptoms, although thyroid hormone tests may be useful, particularly to monitor treatment.[2]
Medical eponyms are often styled nonpossessively; thus Graves' disease and Graves disease are variant stylings for the same term.
