Medical Terminology, Ch 14, The Endocrine System

acr/o

Extremities (hands and feet), top, extreme point

adren/o

adrenal glands

crin/o

secrete

-dipsia

Thirst

glyc/o

glucose, sugar

gonad/o

gonad, sex glands

-ism

condition, state of

pancreat/o

pancreas

parathyroid/o

parathyroid glands

pineal/o

pineal gland

pituitary/o

pituitary gland

poly-

many

somat/o

body

thym/o

thymus gland

thy/o, thyroid/o

thyroid gland

acromegaly

A rare chronic disease characterized by abnormal enlargement of the extremities (hands and feet) caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone after puberty

Addison's disease

A condition that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of the hormones cortisol or aldosterone.

adrenalitis

Inflammation of the adrenal glands

aldosteronism

An abnormality of exectrolyte balance caused by excessive secretion of aldosterone

antidiuretic hormone

The hormone that helps control blood pressure by reducing the amount of water that is excreted through the kidneys.

calcitonin

A hormone that works with the parathyroid hormone to decrease calcium levels in the blood and tissues

Conn's syndrome

A disorder of the adrenal glands due to excessive production of aldosterone.

cortisol

A hormone that has an anti-inflammatory action; it also regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the body.

cretinism

A congenital form of hypothyroidism that, if not treated soon after birth, causes arrested physical and mental development.

Cushing's syndrome

A condition caused by the overproduction of cortisol by the body or by taking corticosteroids to treat inflammatory diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis; also known as aypercorisolism.

diabetes insipidus

A condition caused by insufficient production of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or by the inability of the kidneys to respond to ADH.

diabetes mellitus

A group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyper glycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.

diabetic retinopathy

Injury to the eye that occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina of the eye

electrolytes

Mineral substances, such as sodium and potassium, normally found in the blood.

epinephrine

A hormone that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system in response to physical injury or to mental stress such as fear; also known as adrenaline.

estrogen

A hormone with an important role in the development and maintenance of the femal secondary sex characteristics and the regulation of the menstrual cycle.

exophthalmos

An abnormal protrusion of the eyeball out of the orbit

follicle-stimulating hormone

The hormone that stimulates the secretion of estrogen and the growth of ova (eggs) in the ovaries of the female. In the male, it stimulates the production of sperm in the testicles

fructosamine test

A blood test that measures average glucose levels over the past 3 weeks.

gestational diabetes mellitus

The form of diabetes that occurs during some pregnancies

gigantism

Abnormal growth of the entire body that is caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone before puberty

glucagon

The hormone that increases the amount of glucose in the bloodstream by stimulating the liver to convert glycogen into glucose

glucose

The basic form of energy used by the body; also known as blood sugar.

Graves disease

A disorder of unkown cause in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland and stimulates it to make excesssive amounts of thyroid hormone, resulting in hyperthyroidism

growth hormone

The hormone that regulates the growth of bone, muscle, and other body tissues.

gynecomastia

The condition of excessive mammary development in the male

Hashimoto's disease

An autoimmune disease in which the body's own antibodies attack and destroy the cells of the thyroid gland.

hypercalcemia

Abnormally high concentrations of calcium circulating in the blood instead of being stored in the bones and teeth.

hyperglycemia

An abnormally high concentration of glucose in the blood

hyperinsulinism

A condition marked by excessive secretion of insulin in the bloodstream

hyperpituitarism

The excessive secretion of growth hormone that causes acromegaly and gigantism

hyperthyroidism

The overproduction of thyroid hormones, which causes an imbalance of mtabolism

hypoglycemia

An abnormally low concentration of glucose (sugar) in the blood.

hypothyroidism

A deficiency of thyroid secretion; also known as underactive thyroid.

insulin

The hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreatic islets in response to high levels of glucose to enter cells for energy or to stimulate the liver to convert glucose to glycogen for storage

insulinoma

A benign tumor of the pancreas that causes hypoglycemia

ketosis

A normal metabolic process that helps the body utilize stored fat when other sources of energy are lacking.

laparoscopic adrenalectomy

A minimally invasive procedure to surgically remov one or both adrenal glands

leptin

A protein hormone secreted by fat cells that is involved in the regulation of appetite

luteinizing hormone

The hormone that stimulates ovulation in the female and production of the female sex hormone progesterone. In the the male, it stimulates the secretion of testosterone

myxedema

A severe form of adult hypothyroidism

norepinephrine

A combination of a hormone and a neurohormone that plays an important role in the "fight or flight response"

oxytocin

Hormone secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth

pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas

parathyroidectomy

The surgical removal of one or more of the parathyroid glands

pituitary adenoma

One or two types of slow-growing, benign tumors of the pituitary gland that may or may not cause excess hormone secretion

polydipsia

Excessive thirst

polyphasia

Excessive hunger

polyuria

Excessive urination

prediabetes

A condition in which the blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes

progesterone

This hormone, whose function is to complete the preparation of the uterus for pregnancy, is released during the second half of the menstrual cycle by the corpus luteum in the ovary

prolactinoma

A begnign tumor of the pituitary gland that causes the gland to produce too much prolactin

puberty

The process of physical changes by which a child's body becomes an adult body that is capable of reproducing

radioactive iodine treatment

The oral administration of radioactive iodine to destroy thyroid cells

steroids

A large family of hormonelike substances that share the same fat-soluble chemical structure

testosterone

A steroid hormone secreted by the testes and the adrenal cortex that stimulates the development of male secondary sex characteristics

thymectomy

The surgical removal of the thymus gland

thymitis

Inflammation of the thymus gland

thymosin

Hormone secreted by the thymus gland that stimulates the maturation of lymphocytes into T cells of the immune system

thyroxine

One of the primary hormones secreted by the thyroid gland that regulate the rate of meabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of other body systems