Loading…
Trace Element·Vitamins & Minerals
Thyrotoxic crisis, preparation for thyroid surgery, nuclear radiation emergencies
No source link confirmed for this record yet. Its own source notes are under Additional.
Max Dose
Varies
Caution: Thyroid Storm
RESCUE DRUG
Wolff-Chaikoff
BLOCKS THYROID
Caution: Timing
AFTER PTU
Avoid / Cautions
Pre-existing iodine allergy, dermatitis herpetiformis. Pregnancy Category D (High doses cause massive fetal goitre, asphyxiating the baby).
Overview
Essential trace element for making thyroid hormone. However, given in MASSIVE pharmacological doses, it paradoxically shuts the thyroid gland down completely (Wolff-Chaikoff effect).
Clinical Focus
Nutritional iodine is required in pregnancy, but pharmacological iodine for thyroid storm or radiation exposure is a separate high-dose treatment requiring specialist timing and fetal thyroid-risk review.
Bottom Line
Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone synthesis and used in thyroid storm preparation, but excess can paradoxically cause both hypo- and hyperthyroidism (Wolff-Chaikoff/Jod-Basedow effects).
Brand Names
Lugol's Solution (Aqueous iodine)
Oral Routes
Liquid drops. MUST be diluted in water or juice (highly caustic to the throat).
Prescribing & PBS
Hospital/Pharmacy supply.
Primary
Thyrotoxic crisis, preparation for thyroid surgery, nuclear radiation emergencies.
Clinical Place
Emergency endocrine rescue drug.
No calculator, monitoring schedule or factsheet is linked to this medicine page yet.