Endo - to review Flashcards

1
Q

All amine hormones are derived from tyrosine except one which is derived from tryptophan, it is:

Dopamine
Epinephrine
Thyroxine
Norepinephrine
Melatonin
A

Melatonin

Melatonin is the only hormone derived from tryptophan, rest are from tyrosine

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2
Q

Which of the following would you expect to find in a patient with Conn’s syndrome?

Hypokalaemia
Hyponatraemia
Hyperkalaemia
Hypermagnesaemia
Hypernatraemia
A

Hypokalaemia

Aldosterone causes sodium reabsorption and potassium and hydrogen excretion at the kidneys. Therefore, you expect to find hypokalaemia, hypertension (due to excessive sodium – serum sodium is usually the higher end of normal) and alkalosis.

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3
Q

What type of cells secrete parathyroid hormone?

Chief Cells
Leydig Cells
Beta Cells
Chromaffin Cells
Parafollicular Cells
A

Chief Cells

Chief cells produce parathyroid hormone in response to hypocalcaemia (low blood calcium)

Parafollicular cells (C cells) produce calcitonin in response to high calcium

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4
Q

40 yr old woman presents with weight loss, irritability and excessive sweating and palpitation and is found to have an undetectable serum TSH level and a serum free thyroxine level of 40pmol/l (normal range 10-25 pmol/l). Which medication would provide rapid relief to her symptoms?

Propranolol
Carbimazole
Mitotane
Levothyroxine
Propylthiouracil
A

Propranolol

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5
Q

According to NICE guidelines, which one of the following is the correct indication to stop metformin therapy in the presence of renal impairment?

eGFR <15 mL/minute/1.73 m2
eGFR <30 mL/minute/1.73 m2
eGFR <45 mL/minute/1.73 m2
eGFR <60 mL/minute/1.73 m2

A

eGFR <30 mL/minute/1.73 m2

review @ <45

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6
Q

A 32 year old otherwise fit and well female patient is bought into hospital by her roommate, who found it difficult to wake her up in the morning. Over the last few hours she has become increasingly more confused and drowsy, and was feeling faint. Her blood pressure is 81/45, heart rate 68, respiratory rate 12, temperature 35.9C and oxygen saturations of 98% on room air. Her blood tests reveal the following abnormalities: Glucose 3.2, Sodium 129 Potassium, 5.4, CRP 3.4. Other than correcting her hypoglycaemia and administering IV fluids, what is the most appropriate immediate management?

IV amiodarone 150mg
IM glucagon 1mg
IM adrenalin 500 mcg
IV tazocin 4.5g
IV hydrocortisone 100mg
A

IV hydrocortisone 100mg

*addisonian insufficiency

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7
Q

A 35 year old male has been newly diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder after admission to a psychiatric hospital with acute mania. He has been started on lithium. What is a side effect of lithium on thyroid function?

Primary hyperthyroidism
Secondary hyperthyroidism
Primary hypothyroidism
Secondary hypothyroidism

A

Primary hypothyroidism

Lithium is one of the causes of Primary hypothyroidism

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8
Q

A decrease in circulating cortisol levels would result in which of the following physiological responses:

Enhanced gluconeogenesis in the liver.
Hypotension
Decreased ACTH secretion from the anterior pituitary
Elevated fatty acid levels in the plasma
Suppression the immune system
A

Hypotension

All the other options are responses to cortisol secretion. Decreased plasma cortisol would therefore not stimulate these processes and hypotension occurs due to a loss of the permissive effects of cortisol on norepinephrine binding to α1 receptors.

Life threatening hypotension is associated with Addison’s Disease where there is “adrenal crisis” and a loss of both glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid release, although in this situation the hypotensive crisis mainly results from the loss of the effect of aldosterone on Na+ retention at the kidney but is augmented by loss of cortisol.

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9
Q

Ms Jones is a 30-year-old female who presents with a 3-month history of 10kg weight loss despite an increased appetite, anxiety, diarrhoea and amenorrhoea. Examination reveals a fine tremor, brisk reflexes and a systolic murmur heard throughout the precordium. A urine pregnancy screen was negative. What is the most likely finding on examining the pulse?

Pulsus paradoxus
Collapsing pulse
Low volume pulse
Irregularly irregular pulse
Pulsus alternans
A

Irregularly irregular pulse

The patient’s symptoms and examination findings are consistent with a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.

The systolic murmur is likely to be a functional murmur due to a hyperdynamic circulation caused by the hyperthyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism can cause atrial fibrillation which would cause an irregularly irregular pulse.

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10
Q

Which of the following pharmacological agents used for diabetes puts you at risk of hypoglycaemia?

Liraglutide
Pioglitazone
Canagliflozin
Exenatide
Gliclazide
A

Gliclazide

Sulfonylureas (–zide) stimulate insulin release from the pancreas so they put you at risk of hypoz

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11
Q

How does cortisol protect against hypoglycaemia?

It increases the levels of blood glucose
It strongly inhibits insulin
It strongly inhibits glucagon
It causes glycogenolysis
It has a permissive effect on glucagon
A

It has a permissive effect on glucagon

Loss of cortisol means animals cannot deal with stress, particularly in terms of protecting us against hypoglycaemia.

→ Because cortisol has a permissive effect on glucagon

Cortisol does inhibit insulin but not to the extent that it prevents hypoglycaemias!

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12
Q

Which of the following pharmacological agents used for diabetes puts you at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis?

Metformin
Pioglitazone
Canagliflozin
Exenatide
Gliclazide
A

Canagliflozin

SGLT-2 inhibitor (gliflozins) — associated with diabetic ketoacidosis as a rare side effect

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13
Q

A 65 year old male presents to the GP with a triad of episodic headache,palpitations and sweating. This tends to fluctuate throughout the day and he hasn’t noticed any weight change. On examination, his observations were: BP 172/108, HR 130, RR 22 and SpO2 99%. The patient remembers his dad having similar problems but can’t remember the name of it. Given the probable diagnosis, what would be the most appropriate investigation?

Short synacthen test
CT scan
MRI scan
Chromaffin-seeking isotope scan
24 hour urine catecholamines
A

24 hour urine catecholamines

Headache, palpitations, sweating, hypertension, tachycardia…

All indicative of phaeochromacytoma

24 hour urine catecholamines or urine free metanephrines is the test of choice!

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14
Q

Which symptom below is NOT typical of hypoglycaemia?

Headache
Itch
Poor concentration
Sweating
Irritability
A

Itch

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15
Q

A 22 year old woman presents with heart palpitations, weight loss and excessive sweating. On examination you note evidence of bilateral exophthalmos. She discloses she is in a long term relationship and actively trying to get pregnant. Which treatment plan is most appropriate?

Carbimazole
Propylthiouracil
Radioactive iodine
Thyroidectomy
Lobectomy
A

Propylthiouracil

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16
Q

A 34 year old man presents with tachycardia, fever, and neck soreness. He has been feeling run down with muscle aches and lethargy for the past 5 days. He is normally fit and well.On examination he has tenderness over his thyroid gland.Blood tests reveal a suppressed (low) TSH and a raised T3 and T4. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Solitary Toxic Thyroid Nodule
Toxic Multinodular Goitre
Graves Disease
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
De Quervain's Thyroiditis
A

De Quervain’s Thyroiditis

De Quervain’s Thyroiditis

A viral infection presenting with fever, neck pain and tenderness, dysphagia and features of hyperthyroidism.
Hyperthyroid phase followed by hypothyroid phase as TSH falls due to negative feedback
Self-limiting condition and supportive treatment with NSAIDs and beta blockers is usually all that is necessary

17
Q

Which one of the following side effects are associated with long-term metformin use?

Magnesium deficiency
Pyridoxine deficiency
B12 deficiency
Thiamine deficiency

A

B12 deficiency

18
Q

A 54 year old previously healthy man presents with tiredness, worsening over the past 2 months. On examination you note abdominal striae, central obesity, a round, pale face and wasted proximal muscles. You arrange a dexamethasone suppression test. The patient has no suppression of cortisol with 1mg of dexamethasone, and 8mg of dexamethasone is unable to suppress his cortisol but does suppress ACTH levels. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Cushings Disease
Chronic exogenous steriods
Adrenal adenoma
Small Cell Lung Cancer
HIV encephalitis
A

Adrenal adenoma

  • sign of ectopic ACTH secretion independent of endocrine secretion

Low Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test (1mg dexamethasone)

A normal response is for cortisol to be suppressed (the feedback mechanism is working normally in response to the high blood steroids level
– The hypothalamus responds by reducing the CRH output
– The pituitary response by reducing the ACTH output
An abnormal response is seen in Cushing’s syndrome.
– The hypothalamus and pituitary are used to a higher level of cortisol, meaning that this low additional dose doesn’t cause a reaction

High Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test (8mg dexamethasone)

    • In Cushing’s Disease (pituitary adenoma) this is enough to suppress cortisol
    • In Cushing’s syndrome (i.e. adrenal adenoma), cortisol is not suppressed, but ACTH is
    • In ectopic ACTH (e.g. from a small cell lung cancer), neither cortisol or ACTH will be suppressed
19
Q

Which of the following pharmacological agents used for diabetes puts you at risk of bladder cancer?

Metformin
Pioglitazone
Canagliflozin
Exenatide
Gliclazide
A

Pioglitazone (TZD)

20
Q

A 54-year-old male who was previously well presents to his GP with ongoing headaches for the past few months. He also complains of difficulty sleeping at night due to breathlessness. He reports struggling to fit into his clothes recently and his wedding ring no longer fits. His blood pressure in clinic is 162/83 mmHg. What is the single most-appropriate test that would confirm the likely diagnosis?

Insulin-like growth factor 1
Urinary catecholamines
Dexamethasone suppression test
Short acting synacthen test
Aldosterone-renin ratio
A

The most likely diagnosis here is acromegaly, which can be confirmed by elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

Acromegaly is a manifestation of excessive growth hormone, which is produced by the anterior pituitary gland. The most common cause for excessive production of growth hormone is a pituitary adenoma, a benign tumour of the pituitary gland. Growth hormone stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1.

Gigantism, e.g., clothes not fitting anymore, enlarged fingers etc.

21
Q

Commonest cause of XS GH

A

Pituitary Adenoma (benign)

22
Q

GH effect. on IGF-1

A

Growth hormone stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1.

23
Q

What type of cells secrete calcitonin?

A

Parafollicular Cells

24
Q

A 45 year old man attended a routine medical and his BP was 162/100mmHg. ABPM for 24 hours showed 152/98mmHg and he was started on an ACE inhibitor. 6 months later his blood pressure is still high despite adding a calcium channel blocker and he is now complaining of leg cramps and headaches. His blood tests show hypokalameia, low renin and high aldosterone. A CT scan of his abdomen shows bilaterally enlarged adrenal glands. What will be the first step of treatment for this patient?

Bilateral adrenalectomy
Spironolactone
Bendroflumethiazide
Amiloride
Mitotane
A

Spironolactone

25
Q

Hyperprolactinaemia is not a result of taking which drug?

B2 agonist
Neuroleptics (e.g. chlorpromazine)
Oral contraceptive pill
Oestrogen containing medication
Anti-emetics (e.g. metoclopramide)
A

B2 agonist

26
Q

A 64 year old woman with hypothyroidisim presents for her routine annual review. Her blood test one week ago reveals a TSH of 0.2 mIU/l (normal range 0.4 to 4.0). She is currently on 150 mcg once daily of levothyroxine. What is the most appropriate next step in management?

Check T4 level
Reduce levothyroxine dose to 125mcg once daily
Re-check TSH in 1 month
Check T3 level
Increase levothyroxine dose to 175mcg once daily

A

Reduce levothyroxine dose to 125mcg once daily

27
Q

An 80 year old lady who is keen to stay healthy and well comes to see you in clinic. She has been having daily episodes of sweating and palpitations and been feeling hungry. She has had type 2 diabetes for 30 years and is on Metformin 1g bd and Glipizide 5mg bd. Her renal function has deteriorated but her GFR is 50 with a creatinine of 88. Her HbA1c is 51mmol/mol. During one of the episodes she checked her blood glucose and found that it was 3.0mmol/l. What action should be taken initially with regard to her management?

Stop metformin
Stop Glipizide
Check blood glucose more regularly
Repeat HbA1c
Request a holter monitor
A

Stop Glipizide

Glipizide should be stopped as she is having daily hypos and sulphonylureas can cause hypoglycaemia. This is the biggest risk to her safety and her blood glucose levels appear to be reasonably well controlled and the aim of treating her diabetes is to keep her well and safe.