Endocrine

Break down the word endocrine into its word parts. What does the prefix "endo-" mean, what does the root "-crine" mean, and how do these parts help explain the meaning of endocrine? 

Endo means within

Crine means secretes

This helps explain the secretion of hormones within the body

A patient has a disorder that affects growth, metabolism, mood, and reproduction because the body is not producing enough of certain chemical messengers. What are the complicated chemicals that help manage and regulate body functions? 

The complicated chemicals that manage and regulate body functions are hormones

A patient has a disorder that affects growth, metabolism, mood, and reproduction because the body is not producing enough of certain chemical messengers. What are the complicated chemicals that help manage and regulate body functions?

The complicated chemicals that manage and regulate body functions are hormones

A patient develops changes in body hair, muscle development, and reproductive characteristics because the adrenal cortex is producing too many hormones related to sex traits. What group of hormones is responsible for these changes? 

Depends on the gender of the patient. If the patient is male they are producing testosterone. If female they are producing estrogen and progesterone. Which are also known as the sex steroids 

A pregnant patient is past her due date, so the provider decides to start labor using a man-made hormone medication. What medication may be given to induce labor? 

Pitocin is given to induce labor to produce contractions. 

What is the difference between positive and negative feedback?

Negative feedback loop: 

Positive feedback loop:

Negative feedback keeps concentration of hormones within a relatively narrow range and maintains homeostasis. Positive feedback causes the concentration of a hormone to become increasingly higher.

During labor, a woman’s contractions become stronger and more frequent because her body releases a hormone that stimulates the uterus. Which hormone is causing the uterus to contract?

Oxytocin

After ovulation, a woman’s body releases a hormone that thickens and prepares the uterine lining so a fertilized egg can implant and grow. Which hormone is responsible for preparing the uterine lining for pregnancy?

Progesterone

A patient comes in for routine lab work and their fasting blood sugar result is 300 mg/dL. Before taking any other action, what should the medical assistant do first?

Notify the provider

A patient has a hormone imbalance affecting several other glands in the body. The provider explains that the problem may involve the gland that controls many other endocrine glands. Which gland is known as the “master gland”?

Pituitary

A patient is learning about how hormones travel through the body. The provider explains that some glands do not use ducts and instead release hormones directly into nearby capillaries so they can enter the bloodstream. Which type of glands does this describe?

Endocrine

A child is not growing normally, and testing shows problems with hormones that affect growth, development, and the function of other endocrine glands. Which gland produces many hormones that influence other glands and also controls growth and development?

Pituitary

A patient has a hormone imbalance and is experiencing problems with growth, metabolism, mood, and reproduction. Based on these symptoms, what are hormones responsible for? 

Hormones are responsible for sending signals to cells, telling them what to do. This may affect hunger & thirst, metabolism, growth/aging, mood, the reproductive system, and much more

A patient is having problems with growth, mood, and metabolism because the body’s chemical messengers are not reaching certain organs and tissues correctly. What chemical messengers travel through the body and affect different organs and tissues? 

Hormones travel through the body and affect different organs and tissues.

Which gland would be responsible if a patient is having trouble regulating body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sleep, and which gland would be responsible for signaling the thyroid, adrenal glands, and ovaries/testes to release hormones? 

the hypothalamus regulates body temp, hunger, thirst and sleep, the pituitary is responsible for signaling other glands.

A woman is having trouble producing enough progesterone after ovulation because the ruptured ovarian follicle is not changing into the corpus luteum. Which hormone from the anterior pituitary may be lacking?

the anterior pituitary gland may be lacking LH

What is the difference between endocrine glands and exocrine glands?

Endocrine glands release their products directly into the bloodstream while exocrine glands release their products through ducts

Endocrine produce hormones

A new mother is having trouble producing breast milk after giving birth. Which hormone may be too low if the breast tissue did not develop properly and milk production is reduced?

Prolactin

A patient has very high blood sugar levels because their body is not producing enough hormone from the pancreas to move sugar from the blood into the cells. Which hormone is most likely lacking?

Insulin

A patient has trouble controlling blood sugar levels and also has difficulty digesting food because the same organ is not making enough hormones or digestive enzymes. Which organ is most likely affected?

Pancreas

A child has an enlarged thymus gland that may be pressing on nearby structures in the upper chest. Since the thymus is a two-lobed gland located beneath the breastbone, where would doctors expect to find it?

Under the sternum

child has a weakened immune system because the thymus gland is not helping certain cells mature properly. Which type of immune system cell is most likely affected?

T cells

A teenage boy has low testosterone levels because the cells in the testes that make testosterone are not being properly stimulated. Which hormone may be too low?

Interstitial cell stimulating hormone

A patient is diagnosed with a tumor in the outer layer of the adrenal gland that is causing problems with hormone production. The provider explains that the adrenal gland has two main parts, and the tumor is only affecting one of them. What are the two parts that make up the adrenal glands? 

The two parts that make up the adrenal glands is the medulla and cortex layers

Cortex outer layer and produces

Note: Medulla inner part produces adrenal and norepinephrine helps body respond to stress

A 5 year old child is diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus. Based on the child’s age and how different types of diabetes develop, which type is most likely, and what is the reason? 

this is most likely type 1 diabetes where the body isn't producing enough insulin and she'll have to take medications to get the proper amount of insulin in his body

What lab test is used to screen for thyroid function? If my doctor says my thyroid isn't normal, what would my lab results show for hypothyroidism vs hyperthyroidism, and what would cause the difference? 

Lab Test:

Hypothyroid:

Hyperthyroid:

Lab Test: A TSH test, SST tube?

Hypothyroid: High TSH results 

Hyperthyroid: Low TSH results 

A provider is reviewing a patient’s endocrine function and includes not only the primary anterior pituitary hormones but also additional hormones produced by related pituitary regions. Based on this broader classification, how many hormones are considered to be secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland?

7

A child is significantly shorter than peers and shows delayed physical development. Lab results indicate a deficiency in a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland. Which hormone is most likely responsible for controlling normal growth and development, and how does it affect the body?

Growth hormone

A child has a weakened immune system and gets frequent infections. Testing shows the thymus gland is not functioning properly. Based on this information, which cells are most likely not developing correctly?

T cells

A medical assistant reviews imaging of the thymus gland in patients of different ages and notices changes over time. Based on the function of this gland in the immune system, what happens to the thymus as a person gets older?

It becomes smaller and less active over time

A child has frequent infections, and testing shows a problem with an endocrine gland that is most active during childhood and is essential for developing the immune system. Based on this information, which gland is most likely affected?

Thymus

A patient has abnormal blood sugar levels and difficulty regulating energy after meals. The provider suspects an issue with a hormone that helps the body process carbohydrates. Based on this information, which hormone is responsible?

Insulin