What Increases Your Risk

You are more likely to have hyperthyroidism if:

• You are female. Women are more likely to develop hyperthyroidism than men.
• You have a family history of thyroid problems. People who have close relatives with Graves' disease or other thyroid problems are more likely to develop hyperthyroidism.
• You have an autoimmune disease, such as Addison's disease or type 1 diabetes.
• You smoke cigarettes. People who smoke are more likely to have Graves' disease and are more likely to have Graves' ophthalmopathy.
• You have recently been through a stressful time such as a divorce or the loss of your job.