[e-drug] Lugol's Solution effectiveness in thyroid treatment

["Kae Trouilloud" <kae.trouilloud@mercyships.org>]

E-DRUG: Lugol's Solution effectiveness in thyroid treatment
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Greetings E-Drug,

I am writing to ask about your experiences in using Lugol's iodine solution
in anti-thyroid treatment. The WHO formulary 2004 states that iodine may be
contemplated if surgery is in view, to assist control and reduce vascularity of the thyroid. Potassium iodide 60mg tablets are thus in the WHO essential medicines list (but not Lugol's solution). However Martindale has a statement too that Iodine has little evidence of beneficial effect (in reducing vascularity of the thyroid). Can you comment on that? We have a recent enquiry to use Lugol's solution for our thyroid patients and would like to know whether it is worth the trouble to get iodine, and in which form (Lugol's or potassium iodide oral tablets). We do have carbimazole and propylthiouracil in our current stock and essential medicines list, and wonder if iodine should be added as well. Thank you for your assistance once again, you are a valuable resource,

Kae :-) 

Kae Ting TROUILLOUD
Pharmacy Manager/Editor of the Mercy Ships Formulary
Mercy Ships International
with M/V Anastasis, currently docked in Tema, Ghana

Email: kae.trouilloud@mercyships.org
M/V Anastasis, PO Box 2020, Garden Valley, Texas 75771, USA
Tel: 1 (954) 538-4258  and  Fax: 1 (954) 337-2811
Mercy Ships - www.mercyships.org