What is Graves' Disease, the condition afflicting Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley

British actress Daisy Ridley recently revealed that she suffers from Graves' Disease. She was experiencing symptoms like hot flashes and fatigue but chose to ignore them for a long time assuming them to be the side-effects of a high-stress job. At the age of 32, she also had a racing heart rate, weight loss and hand tremors. Daisy is popular for playing Rey in the latest “Star Wars” trilogy.

What is Graves' Disease?

The disease is named after 19th-century Irish physician Robert James Graves. It is an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid, forcing the body to make excessive amounts of thyroid hormone. In Graves' Disease, a malfunction in the immune system leads it to create antibodies that “bind to receptors on the surface of thyroid cells and stimulate those cells to overproduce and release thyroid hormones.”

Experts haven't been able to pinpoint the exact cause of Graves' Disease. Some patients might be genetically prone to it, as per some researchers. According to Yale Medicine, infections, changes in hormone levels, or abnormally high iodine levels can increase the risk of such people developing Graves' Disease. Smoking has also been cited as one of the factors by Mayo Clinic.

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Symptoms of Graves' Disease

Daisy experienced several of the symptoms associated with the health condition but didn't think much of it for a long time. According to the American Thyroid Association, common symptoms include a racing heartbeat, difficulty falling asleep, hand tremors, weight loss and muscle weakness. It further cites eye problems as being another major symptom. “Inflammation of the eyes, swelling of the tissues around the eyes and bulging of the eyes" can also occur, according to the association. “We do not know why, but problems with the eyes occur much more often and are more severe in people with Graves’ disease who smoke cigarettes,” it added.

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Women more at risk of Graves' Disease

Women, especially those over the age of 30, are at a higher risk of developing the health condition, as per the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Someone who suffers from other autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, lupus, type 1 diabetes, can also develop Graves' Disease.

Graves' Disease treatment

Antithyroid medications are used to regulate a person’s heart rate, along with radioiodine therapy, which is used to kill overactive thyroid cells. According to the NIDDK, surgery might also be required in certain cases. Eye drops and dietary changes can also help relieve the symptoms.