CNN’s medical expert, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, said Sunday that Hillary Clinton may have become overheated during the 9/11 memorial service in New York City because of medication she takes to control a thyroid disorder.
Clinton, who wore a pant suit and sunglasses to the service, cut short her visit to the memorial service and was seen going limp — and possibly fainting — while being helped by aides into her campaign van.
The campaign claimed that Clinton “overheated,” though the temperature at the time was in the 70s. She was rushed to her daughter Chelsea’s New York City home. (RELATED: Clinton Camp Confirms Her Medical Episode At 9/11 Memorial Service)
A medical report released last year by Clinton’s doctor showed that the presidential candidate has hypothyroidism, a disorder in which the thyroid produces too few thyroid hormones.
Fatigue, muscle weakness, puffy face and hoarseness are symptoms of the disorder.
Sensitivity to the cold is another symptom, but Gupta told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that medication used to treat hypothyroidism can cause sensitivity to heat.
“You don’t have enough of the thyroid hormone circulating in your body, people can feel very fatigued, they can be more likely to feel cold in warm settings,” Gupta said. (RELATED: Video Shows Hillary Going Limp, Being Carried Into Van)
“The flip side of that is that you give thyroid hormone back and you’re basically trying to increase the amount of thyroid hormone. People may tend to feel better as a result of having their thyroid levels normalized, but they are more likely to feel overheated to have problems like that.”
Gupta also said that anti-histamines, which Clinton has said she is taking to help with allergies, can be associated with overheating.
Clinton’s health has become a central focus in the past weeks after Clinton started having violent coughing fits during campaign events. A concussion she suffered in Dec. 2012 after falling and hitting her head has also led to speculation about lingering health problems.
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