(INFO) 4.3 Endocrine System Medical Conditions

hypersecretion

when there is too much hormone produced

hyposecretion

when there is too little hormone produced

cushing’s disease

• condition when the adrenal cortex produces too much of the hormone cortisol

• this can happen from a tumor in the pituitary gland that causes the production of ACTH, which then stimulates adrenal glands to produce too much hormone/tumor in the adrenal gland itself

• symptoms- muscle weakness, fatigue, mood swings, and easy bruising

• physical exam signs- hypertension, increased body weight with fat deposits in the face, upper back, and trunk, hirsutism, edema, and skin discoloration

how is the diagnosis for cushing’s disease made?

testing the cortisol levels in the blood and then determining cause of the disease. tumors may need surgical resection

diabetes mellitus

• disease with abnormal glucose metabolism

• insulin is the hormone produced by pancreas to help with entry of glucose into the cells of body for metabolism/energy

• when insulin is not produced by pancreas, or cells of the body do not respond to insulin, this condition develops

what are the 2 subtypes of the diabetes mellitus disease?

insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)

BOTH DEVELOP HYPERGLYCEMIA OR ELEVATED BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS

IDDM

• no longer produce insulin from the islets of langerhans in the pancreas

• treated with insulin injections

NIDDM

• continue to produce insulin from the pancreas however, the cells throughout the body do not respond to the insulin

• treated with medications to increase cell sensitivity to insulin

diabetes ketoacidosis

• where the body is using fat as its main source of fuel rather than carbohydrates

• When blood glucose levels are elevated for prolonged periods of time, damage to the body’s tissues can occur, and the patient can become critically ill with this disease

hypoglycemia

• when blood glucose levels drop below the normal level and can lead to shock if not addressed promptly

• bodies tissue can become damaged after years of poor glucose control

hyperthyroidism

• excess of thyroid hormones secreted by the thyroid gland

causes of excess thyroid secretion

Graves’ disease- autoimmune disease where antibodies stimulate the thyroid to produce too much T4

Toxic multinodular goiter- enlargement of the thyroid gland that then produces too much thyroid hormone

symptoms of hyperthyroidism

• hyperactivity, nervousness, irritability, sweating, palpitations, weight loss, diarrhea, and easy fatigue.

• These symptoms are largely the result of an increased basal metabolic rate due to the increased thyroid hormone

treatment of hyperthyroidism

This is accomplished using medications, radioiodine treatment that destroys the thyroid tissue, or via surgical removal of part of the thyroid (partial thyroidectomy)

hypothyroidism

• is a deficiency of thyroid hormone.

causes of hypothyroidism

• It is most commonly caused by an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

• Other causes of hypothyroidism include treatments for hyperthyroidism, radiation treatments, thyroid surgery, and certain medications.

symptoms of hypothyroidism

• a result of the basal metabolic rate slowing down.  

• Patients will complain of feeling tired and weak, dry skin, feeling cold, hair loss, weight gain, and dyspnea.

treatment of hypothyroidism

supplementation with synthetic thyroid hormone.