med term ch. 16 endocrine system

pituitary gland

approximately the size of a pea and located at the base of the brain; divided into two lobes; often referred to as the master gland because it produces hormones that stimulate the function of other endocrine glands

growth hormone (GH)

regulates the growth of the body

adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

stimulates the adrenal cortex

thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

stimulates the thyroid gland

gonadotropic hormones

stimulate the gonads (the testes in males and ovaries in females) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are the hormones released from the adenohypophysis

prolactin (PRL)

promotes the development of glandular tissue during pregnancy and produces mil after birth of an infant

posterior lobe

stores and releases antidiuretic hormone and oxytocin (neurohypophysis)

antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

stimulates the kidney to reabsorb water and constricts blood vessels to help maintain blood pressure (vasopressin)

oxytocin

stimulates uterine contractions during labor and postpartum, and milk let down by the breasts postpartum

hypothalamus

located superior to the pituitary gland in the brain; secretes "releasing" hormones that function to stimulate or inhibit the release of pituitary gland hormones

thyroid gland

largest endocrine gland located anteriorly in the neck below the larynx and comprises bilateral lobes connected by an isthmus; secretes the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and tyroxine (T4), which requires iodine for their production; thyroxine is necessary for body cell metabolism

parathyroid glands

four small bodies embedded in the posterior aspect of the lobes of the thyroid gland; parathyroid hormone (PTH), the hormone produced by the glands, help maintain the level of calcium in the blood by its effects on bone and kidneys

islets of langerhans

clusters of endocrine tissue found throughout the pancreas, made up of different cell types that secrete various hormones, including insulin and glucagon; non-endocrine cells found throughout the pancreas produce enzymes that facilitate digestion

adrenal glands

paired glands, one of which is located superior to each kidney; outer portion is called the adrenal cortex, and the inner portion is called the adrenal medulla; cortisol, aldosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine are secreted by them

cortisol

secreted by the adrenal cortex; aids the body during stress by increasing glucose levels to provide energy (hydrocortisone)

aldosterone

secreted by the adrenal cortex; electrolytes (mineral salts) that are necessary for normal body function are regulated by this hormone

epinephrine, norepinephrine

secreted by the adrenal medulla; these hormones help the body to deal with stress by increasing the blood pressure, heartbeat, and respirations (adrenaline, noradrenaline)

adren/o

adrenal glands

adrenal/o

adrenal glands

cortic/o

cortex (outer layer of a body organ)

endocrin/o

endocrine

parathyroid/o

parathyroid glands

pituitar/o

pituitary gland

thyroid/o

thyroid gland

acr/o

extremities, height

calc/i

calcium

dips/o

thirst

glyc/o

sugar

kal/i

potassium

natr/o

sodium

eu-

normal, good

hyper-

above, excessive

hypo-

below, incomplete, deficient, under

pan-

all, total

poly-

many, much

syn-

together, joined

-al

pertaining to

-drome

run, running

-ectomy

excision, surgical removal

-emia

in the blood

-ia

diseased or abnormal state, condition of

-ism

state of

-itis

inflammation

-logist

one who studies and treats

-logy

study of

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor, swelling

-pathy

disease

-plasia

condition of formation, development, growth

acromegaly

enlargement of the extremities (and face due to increased soft tissue, bone, and cartilage; caused by excessive production of the growth hormone by the pituitary gland after puberty)

adrenalitis

inflammation of the adrenal glands

adrenomegaly

enlargement (of one or both) adrenal glands

endocrinopathy

(any) disease of the endocrine (system)

hypercalcemia

excessive calcium in the blood

hyperglycemia

excessive sugar in the blood

hyperkalemia

excessive potassium in the blood

hyperparathyroidism

state of excessive parathyroid gland activity (resulting in hypercalcemia and leading to osteoporosis, as well as symptoms of muscle weakness, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness)

hyperpituitarism

state of excessive pituitary gland activity (characterized by excessive secretion of pituitary hormones)

hyperthyroidism

state of excessive thyroid gland activity (characterized by excessive secretion of thyroid hormones; signs and symptoms include tachycardia, weight loss, irritability, and heat intolerance)

hypocalcemia

deficient calcium in the blood

hypoglycemia

deficient sugar in the blood

hypokalemia

deficient potassium in the blood

hyponatremia

deficient sodium in the blood

hypopituitarism

state of deficient pituitary gland activity (characterized by decreased secretion of one or more of the pituitary hormones, which can affect the function of the target endocrine gland)

hypothyroidism

state of deficient thyroid gland activity (characterized by decreased secretion of thyroid hormones; signs and symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, and cold intolerance)

panhypopituarism

state of total deficient pituitary gland activity (characterized by decreased secretion of all the anterior pituitary hormones; more serious condition than hypopituitarism in that it affects the function of all the other endocrine glands)

parathyroidoma

tumor of a parathyroid gland

thyroiditis

inflammation of the thyroid gland

Addison disease

chronic syndrome resulting from a deficiency in the hormonal secretion of the adrenal cortex; signs and symptoms may include weakness, weight loss, hypotension, darkening of skin,, and loss of appetite

congenital hypothydroidism

condition caused by congenital absence or atrophy (wasting away) of the thyroid gland; disease is characterized by puffy features, mental deficiency, large tongue, and short stature

Cushing syndrome

group of signs and symptoms attributed to the excessive production of cortisol by the adrenal cortices; syndrome may be the result of a pituitary tumor that produces ACTH or a primary adrenal cortex hypersecretion; signs include abnormally pigmented skin, "moon face," pads of fat on the chest and abdomen, "buffalo hump" (fat on the upper back), wasting away of muscle, and hypertension

diabetes insipidus (DI)

result of decreased secretion of antidiuretic hormone by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland; symptoms include excessive thirst (polydipsia), large amounts of urine (polyuria), and water being excreted from the body

diabetes mellitus (DM)

chronic disease involving a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism caused by under-activity of the insulin-producing islets of Langerhans and characterized by elevated blood sugar; can cause chronic renal disease, retinopathy, and neuropathy; in extreme cases the patient may develop ketosis, acidosis, and finally coma

gigantism

condition brought about by hypersecretion of growth hormone by the pituitary gland before puberty

Graves disease

autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland characterized by the production of more thyroid hormone than the body needs (hyperthyroidism), goiter, and exophthalamos (abnormal protrusion of the eyeballs)

Hashimoto thyroiditis

disease in which the thyroid gland cells are destroyed by autoimmune processes; characterized by hyperthyroidism and goiter; more common in females

ketoacidosis

serious condition resulting from uncontrolled diabetes mellitus in which acid ketones accumulate from fat metabolism in the absence of adequate insulin; if not promptly controlled by adequate insulin and hydration, can progress to coma and death

metabolic syndrome

group of signs and symptoms including insulin resistance, obesity characterized by excessive fat around the area of the waist and abdomen, hypertension, hyperglycemia, elevated triglycerides, and low levels of the "good" cholesterol HDL; risks include development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, or stroke (syndrome X, insulin resistance syndrome)

myxedema

condition resulting from an extreme deficiency of the thyroid hormone thyroxine; a severe form of hypothyroidism in an adult; signs include puffiness of the face and hands, coarse and thickened skin, enlarged tongue, slow speech, and anemia

neuroblastoma

malignant cancer that often starts in the adrenal medulla, composed of immature nerve cells; primarily affects children

pheochromocytoma

tumor of the adrenal medulla, which is usually non-malignant and characterized by hypertension, headaches, palpitations, diaphoresis, chest pain, and abdominal pain; surgical removal of the tumor is the most common treatment; though usually curable with early detection, it can by fatal if untreated

thyrotoxicosis

condition caused by excessive thyroid hormones

adrenalectomy

excision of (one or both) adrenal glands

parathyroidectomy

excsision of (one or more) parathyroid glands

thyroidectomy

excision of the thyroid gland

radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU)

nuclear medicine scan that measures thyroid function, particularly when distinguishing different causes of hyperthyroidism; radioactive iodine is given to the patient orally, after which the amount of its uptake into the thyroid gland is measured; images of he land can also be optianed using this procedure

setamibi parathyroid scan

nuclear medicine procedure used to localize hyperactive parathyroid glands; the glands that take up an abnormal amount of radioactive substance are identified and selected for surgical removal; the other parathyroid glands may be left in place

thyroid sonography

ultrasound test of the thyroid gland used to help determine whether a thyroid nodule is likely benign or possibly malignant, including whether it is cystic or solid; also used to help guide a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy

fasting blood sugar (FBS)

blood test to determine the amount of glucose in the blood after fasting for 8 to 10 hours; elevation may indicate diabetes mellitus

fine needle aspiration (FNA)

biopsy technique that uses a narrow hollow needle to obtain tiny amounts of tissue for pathologic examination; thyroid nodules are frequently biopsied using FNA

glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)

blood test used to diagnose diabetes and monitor its treatment by measuring the amount of glucose bound to hemoglobin in the blood; provides an indication of blood sugar level over the past three months, covering the 120-day lifespan of the red blood cell (glycated hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1c, A1c test)

thyroid-stimulating hormone level (TSH)

blood test that measures the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood; used to diagnose thyroid disorders and to monitor patients on thyroid replacement therapy

thryoxine level (T4)

blood test that gives the direct measurement of the amount of thyroxine in the patient's blood; greater-than-normal amount indicates hyperthyroidism; less-than-normal amount indicates hypothyroidism

adrenocorticohyperplasia

excessive development of the adrenal cortex

euglycemia

normal (level of) sugar in the blood (within normal range)

euthyroid

normal thyroid gland activity

glycemia

sugar in the blood

polydipsia

abnormal state of much thirst

endocrinologist

physician who studies and treats diseases of the endocrine system

endocrinology

study of the endocrine system