Endo for Finals Flashcards
What affect does aldosterone have on sodium and potassium?
Sodium retention
Urinary potassium loss
What affect does aldosterone have on blood pressure?
Drives it up due to sodium and water retention
What are the causes of primary hyperaldosteronism?
Bilateral adrenal hyperplasia
Adrenal adenoma
What is Conn’s syndrome?
Primary hyperaldosteronism
What investigations might you do in suspected hyperaldosteronism?
U+E
Plasma aldosterone : renin ratio (will be raised)
What must you ensure before testing plasma aldosterone : renin ratio in suspected Conn’s?
Aldosterone antagonists (spironolactone and eplenerone) 6 weeks before test
‘Tea-coloured urine’ might lead you to be suspicious of what?
Rhabdomyolysis (due to myoglobinuria)
What might investigation results find in rhabdomyolysis?
Raised CK
Hyperkalaemia
Hypocalcaemia
Myoglubinuria (Dipstick +ve for blood)
Why might calcium be low in rhabdomyolysis?
Calcium is deposited in dead muscle cells so reduced in the circulation
What type of drug is metformin and what is it’s mechanism of action?
Biguanide - Increased peripheral insulin sensitivity, reduces hepatic glucose formation
What are the causes of a raised anion gap metabolic acidosis?
Methanol Uraemia Diabetic ketoacidosis Paraldehyde Isoniazid, infection, ischaemia Lactic acidosis e.g. from Metformin Ethalene glycol Salicylates e.g. aspirin overdose
What are the causes of a metabolic acidosis with a normal anion gap?
Renal tubular acidosis
Diarrhoea, vomiting
What is the mechanism behind a normal anion gap metabolic acidosis?
Loss of bicarbonate which is buffered by chlorine, so more accurately termed a hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis
In a patient being treated for DKA, how should you go about restarting their normal insulin?
If the patient was on a basal bolus regime:
- Give short acting with a meal and stop the insulin infusion 30-60 minutes later
- The long acting insulin should not have been stopped throughout the episode of DKA
If the patient was using a mixed insulin regime, give a dose with morning or evening meal, then stop the insulin infusion 30-60 minutes later
What is an Addisonian Crisis?
Acute adrenal insufficiency
What is the most common cause of an Addisonian Crisis?
Iatrogenic i.e. abrupt withdrawal of steroids
How might a patient with an Addisonian Crisis present?
Hypovolaemic shock: Tachycardia, hypotension, oliguria, weakness, reduced GCS, comatose
What electrolyte disturbances might be present in an Addisonian Crisis? Why?
Hyperkalaemia
Hyponatraemia
Steroids usually increase sodium so lack of steroids will cause low sodium and raised K+ as a consequence
What is the management of Addisonian Crisis?
DR ABCDE approach
- Take bloods, particularly ACTH, cortisol, U+E
- Hydrocortisone 100mg IV stat
- Supportive i.e. fluids
- Monitor glucose (risk of hypoglycaemia) and treat accordingly
- Look for underlying cause e.g. infection
- Switch to oral steroids after 72 hours if BP stabilised
What is the inheritance pattern of multiple endocrine neoplasia?
Autosomal dominant
What is multiple endocrine neoplasia?
Rare condition where there is formation of tumours in several endocrine glands - this may happen at the same time or at different times. Treatment is by removal of the tumours if possible. There are different types depending on the clinical manifestation of the tumours.
Give some features of multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 1
All the ‘Ps’:
- Parathyroid adenoma / hyperplasia
- Pancreatic tumours: Gastrinoma, insulinoma, glucagonoma, somatostatinoma
- Pituitary adenoma: Prolactin secreting, GH secreting
What is the most common presentation of multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 1?
Hypercalcaemia - This is because a parathyroid tumour is the most common tumour type in MEN1
Which tumour type is seen both in MEN1 and MEN2a?
Parathyroid adenoma
Which tumour types are seen in MEN2a?
Parathyroid adenoma
Thyroid medullary cancer
Adrenal tumour i.e. phaeochromocytoma
Which type of multiple endocrine neoplasia does NOT have parathyroid adenomas as a feature?
MEN2b
Which type of multiple endcrine neoplasia might present with a patient with a Marfanoid appearance?
MEN2b
Which tumour types are seen in MEN2b?
Thyroid medullary cancer
Adrenal - Phaeochromocytoma
Neuromas
(Patients also have Marfanoid appearance)
Which type(s) of multiple endocrine neoplasia are caused by the RET oncogene?
MEN2a and MEN2b
Give some causes of primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease)
Autoimmune: Antibodies to 21-hydroxylase Neoplastic: Adrenal metastasis, lymphoma Infective: TB, histoplasmosis Haemorrhage: Waterhouse-Friedrichsen's Syndrome Infarction
Give some causes of secondary adrenal insufficiency
Hypothalamic or pituitary disease
Iatrogenic: Withdrawal of steroid therapy
What is Addison’s Disease?
Adrenal insufficiency - This is usually autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex, which results in insufficiency of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids
List some clinical features of Addison’s disease
- Insidious onset, usually with non-specific symptoms (lethargy, depression, weight loss)
- Postural hypotension
- Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoa, constipation
- Hyperpigmented skin, especially buccal mucosa and skin creases - Due to stimulation of melanocytes by excess ACTH
- Vitiligo
- Loss of body hair in women
- Addisonian crisis
What initial screening tests can you do for Addison’s disease? What would they show?
9am cortisol and ACTH
Primary hypoadrenalism = ACTH high
Secondary hypoadrenalism = ACTH low
What is the diagnostic test for Addison’s disease?
Short Synacthen Test
What happens in the Short Synacthen Test?
Demonstrate’s body’s response to ACTH administration for investigation of Addison’s Disease: Measure cortisol then administer 250ug of Synacthen (synthetic ACTH), and remeasure cortisol after 30 minutes. Cortisol should rise by more than 550umol/L. Addison’s confirmed if this risk is not seen.
What is the treatment for Addison’s?
Replace steroids: Daily hydrocortisone
Replace mineralocorticoids to maintain BP and electrolyte balance: Daily fludrocortisone
Investigate for causes
Education about adrenal crisis i.e. don’t stop steroids!
What class of drug are exanatide and liraglutide?
GLP-1 analogues
Give 2 examples of GLP-1 analogues
Exenatide
Liraglutide
What is the importance of GLP-1?
It stimulates insulin production in response to an oral glucose load - the ‘incretin effect’. This is known to be decreased in diabetes and so increasing GLP-1 levels will help with insulin production and thus lowering glucose levels.
True / False: GLP-1 analogues typically cause weight gain
False - They cause no increase in weight, in fact they often cause weight loss
How do DPP-4 inhibitors work?
They prevent the breakdown of GLP-1, thus increasing it’s availability and increasing insulin via the incretin effect
Give 2 examples of DPP-4 inhibitors
The ‘gliptin’s:
- Sitagliptin
- Linagliptin
By what route are GLP-1 analogues administered? By what route are DPP-4 inhibitors administered?
GLP-1 analogues = Subcutaneous injection before a meal
DPP-4 inhibitors = Orally
True / False: DPP-4 inhibitors cause weight gain
False - DPP-4 inhibitors do not cause weight gain
Give 1 example of a thiazolidinedione
Pioglitazone
List some side effects of thiazolidinediones e.g. pioglitazone
Weight gain
Fractures
Deranged LFTs
Bladder cancer
Give an example of a sulphonylurea
Gliclazide
Give some side effects of sulphonylureas
Hypoglycaemia
Weight gain
SIADH
Deranged LFTs
Give an example of a biguanide drug
Metformin
What type of drug is gliclazide?
Sulphonylurea
What type of drug is pioglitazone?
Thiazolidinedione
What type of drug are sitagliptin and linagliptin?
DPP-4 inhibitors