Endocrine System Disorders and Pharmacology

Vocabulary flashcards covering medical terms, pharmacological treatments, thyroid disorders, and pituitary gland disorders based on the provided text.

Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy

A surgical procedure involving an incision beneath the upper lip to enter the nasal cavity and gain access to the pituitary gland, followed by the insertion of a speculum and special forceps to remove a pituitary tumor.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Synthetic hormone therapy used to correct a deficiency of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or testosterone hormone, relieve symptoms of menopause, and prevent osteoporosis in women.

Insulins

Medications used to replace insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes or severe type 2 diabetes.

Oral antidiabetics

Medications used to treat type 2 diabetes by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin or lower glucose levels in the blood.

Hypothyroidism

A condition caused by a deficiency in thyroid hormone.

Hyperthyroidism

A condition caused by the overproduction or excessive secretion of thyroid hormones, which leads to metabolic imbalance.

Thyromegaly

Inflammation and enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Cretinism

A form of hypothyroidism that develops in infants which, if untreated, leads to mental retardation, impaired growth, low body temperatures, and abnormal bone formation.

Myxedema

Hypothyroidism that develops during adulthood, characterized by edema, low blood levels of thyroid hormones, weight gain, cold intolerance, fatigue, depression, muscle or joint pain, and sluggishness.

Graves disease

An autoimmune disease (also called autoimmune hyperthyroidism) that is the most common form of hyperthyroidism; it increases thyroid hormone production, enlarges the thyroid gland (goiter), and causes elevated metabolic rate, abnormal weight loss, excessive perspiration, muscle weakness, emotional instability, and exophthalmos.

Goiter

Enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Exophthalmos

Protrusion of the eyes caused by edematous swelling in the tissues behind them.

Growth hormone (GH)

A hormone synthesized and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland that is responsible for the normal growth of bones, cartilage, and soft tissue.

Pituitary dwarfism

A disorder (hypopituitarism) caused by a deficiency or absence of growth hormone (hyposecretion) during childhood, resulting in extremely short stature (final height of only 3 to 4 feet) with normal body proportions.

Gigantism

A disorder caused by hypersecretion of growth hormone during childhood, resulting in an abnormal increase in the length of long bones where the individual grows to be very tall (may attain a height of 8 feet) with about normal body proportions.

Acromegaly

A disorder caused by hypersecretion of growth hormone after puberty, resulting in overgrowth of the bones of the face, hands, and feet, often caused by a pituitary tumor or adenoma.