[Glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in patients with hyperthyroidism. Pathogenesis of disturbances and therapeutic consequences].

Abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism have been frequently reported in hyperthyroid patients. Disturbed glucose tolerance might be due to increased hepatic glucose production, altered insulin metabolism, increased response to beta-adrenergic stimuli and elevated plasma FFA levels. These disturbances very often disappear when remission of thyrotoxicosis is attained during-treatment with thyrostatic drugs. Non-selective or selective beta 1-adrenoceptor blocking agents does not impair the glucose stimulated insulin secretion or the carbohydrate tolerance and impaired glucose tolerance disappear when glycolytic blockade is attained.