Endocrine Flashcards
Causes of Secondary HTN
Renal
Endocrine
Endocrine causes of Secondary HTN
- Cushing
- Conn syndrome
- Hyperthyroidism / Hyperparathyroidism
- Acromegaly
- Phaeochromocytoma
Phaeochromocytoma
Catecholamine producing tumour of adrenal medulla
Symptoms of phaeochromocytoma
Sweating
Palpitation
Weight loss
HTN
Ix for Phaeochromocytoma
I. 24 hour urine
- catecholamine levels or their metabolites (metanephrine)
- affected by drugs: eg. paracetamol, cough syrup, tricyclic antidepressant, beta blockers)
- sample needs to be collected in acid
II. Plasma metanephrine
- low specificity
- pts must be rested for 15-30 min
- affected by caffeine, alcohol, smoking
- only used as a secondary test
Conn’s syndrome definition
Excess aldosterone production
Leads to alkalosis / hypokalaemia
Causes of Conn’s syndrome
Primary - adrenal adenoma
Secondary - increased renin secretion
Ix for Conn’s syndrome
Plasma aldosterone:renin ratio
Pt must be rested > 30 mins
Primary = High aldosterone + Low renin
Secretions of anterior pituitary
TSH ACTH FSH LH GH Prolactin
Acromegaly
Excess GH secretion
Sx of Acromegaly
Sleep apnoea Protuding jaw HTN - Na retention Polyps Glucose intolerance Hypercalcaemia - increased Vit D
Ix for acromegaly
Basal IGF-1 (and GH)
Glucose tolerance test - GH should be suppressed < 1
Serum thyroid hormone forms
Bound > 99%
Free - active form
Sx of hypothyroidism
- Lethargy, tiredness
- Weight gain
- Cold intolerance
- Coarsening of hair + skin
- Slow reflexes, hoarseness
- Constipation
- Menstrual abnormalities
- Bradycardia
Mx of hypothyroidism
Thyroxin
Hyperthyroidism symptoms
- Weight loss
- Heat inttolerance
- Palpitations
- Agitation, tremor
- Muscle weakness
- Diarrhoea
- Thyroid eye disease
- Menstrual abnormalities
Hormones produced in adrenal gland
Adrenal cortex:
Aldosterone
Cortisol
Androgens
Adrenal medulla:
Catecholamines
Layers of adrenal gland
Zona glomerulosa - aldosterone
Zona fasiculatis and reticularis - cortisol + androgens
Daily cortisol production
25 mg/day
Functions of cortisol
Insulin antagonist
Glucogenesis
Protein catabolism
Immunosuppressant
Hypothalamo pituitary axis for cortisol release
CRH - Hypothalamus
ACTH - Anterior pituitary
Cortisol - Adrenal cortex
Addison’s disease definition
Primary adrenal insufficiency
Reduced cortisol and aldosterone
Sx of Addison’s disease
Hypoglycaemia
Hypotension
Hyperkalaemia
Skin hyperpigmentation
Ix for Addison’s disease
High ACTH + Low Cortisol
Short Synacthen test
Electrolytes
Short Synacthen test
250 micrograms synthetic ACTH IM
Normal people - cortisol rises > 420
Most common cause of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
21-hydroxylase deficiency
2 main types of CAH
Simple viralising
Salt wasting
Simple viralising CAH
Androgen affected
Male like symptoms
Salt wasting CAH
Aldosterone affected
Sx of Newborn CAH
- Ambiguous external genitalia
- Pigmented scrotum
- Salt wasting
- Sudden unexplained death (males)
Sx of Adult CAH
- Hirsutism
- Menstrual cycle disorder
- Subfertility
Ix for CAH
1) Blood:
17α hydroxy progesterone
Electrolytes
Glucose
2) Urine
- Electrolytes
- Steroid profile
Sx of Cushing’s syndrome
Mental disturbances Truncal obesity Striae Hyperandrogenism - hirsutism, amenorrhoea Glucose tolerance Sodium retention HTN Osteoporosis
Ix for Cushing’s
Dexamethasone suppression test
Low serum/salivary cortisol - false negatives
Dexamethasone suppression test
1) 1 mg overnight
9 am cortisal should be < 50 mmol/L
2) Low dose dexamethasone 6 hourly for 48 hrs
Cushing’s shows no suppression
Cushing’s disease
Pituitary dependent Cushing’s syndrome
ACTH is raised