Endocrine Assessment

Question 1

How does a negative feedback loop work?

Answer 1

Decreases hormone release.
Much like a thermostat.
Detects when a drop in hormone level occurs»kicks off release of hormone»detects rise of hormone»stops releasing hormone. Keeps hormone level within a homeostatic range.

Question 2

How does a positive feedback loop work?

Answer 2

Increases hormone release.
Increase in first hormone leads to further increase in that hormone.
Example: Breastfeeding releases oxytocin»oxytocin increases milk=increases breastfeeding

Question 3

What are the two parts of the pituitary gland?

Answer 3

Anterior=adenohypophysis
Posterior=neurohypophysis

Question 4

What are tropic hormones?

Answer 4

Hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary

Question 5

What controls the anterior pituitary?
How do they communicate?

Answer 5

The hypothalamus
The hypothalamus communicates with the anterior pituitary through a capillary network called the hypothalamus-hypophyseal portal system.
The hypothalamus releases its own hormones that tell the anterior pituitary what to do.
Example: Corticotropin releasing hormone (hypothalamus)
»adrenocorticotropic hormone (pituitary)
»corticosteroids (adrenal cortex)

Question 6

What controls the posterior pituitary? How do they communicate? How is this different than the anterior pituitary?

Answer 6

The hypothalamus
They communicate through nerve tracts. No capillary connection.
The posterior pituitary does NOT make any hormones. The hypothalamus makes the hormones (ADH and oxytocin) and sends them to be stored in the posterior pituitary.

Question 7

What hormones are made and released by the anterior pituitary?

Answer 7

ACTH
GH
FSH and LH
TSH
Prolactin

Question 8

What hormone does the pineal gland release?

Answer 8

Melatonin

Question 9

What are the 3 hormones made and secreted by the thyroid gland?

Answer 9

T3
T4
Calcitonin»target bone tissue to hang onto calcium

Question 10

What is the job of calcitonin? What is the inverse hormone?

Answer 10

Lowers the serum calcium levels
The inverse hormone is parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH works to increase the serum calcium levels.

Question 11

What hormones does the adrenal medulla secrete?

Answer 11

Catecholamines:
Epinephrine, Norepinephrine,
Dopamine

Question 12

What hormones does the adrenal cortex secrete?

Answer 12

Glucocorticoids (Cortisol)
Mineralocorticoids (Aldosterone)
Androgens (testosterone, estrogen, DHEA) in small amounts

Question 13

What are considered the corticosteroid hormones?

Answer 13

Glucocorticoids and Mineralocorticoids- (Cortisol and aldosterone)

Question 14

What are the key functions of cortisol? (remember these are called GLUCOcorticoids)
What organs control its release?

Answer 14

Regulating blood glucose concentration and controlling inflammatory response of cells
Hypothalamus»Pituitary»Adrenal cortex

Question 15

What things increase cortisol levels?

Answer 15

Stress
Burns
Infection
Fever
Acute anxiety
Hypoglycemia

Question 16

How does aldosterone hang onto water?

Answer 16

Keeps Na+ and throws out K+

Question 17

What are the 4 hormone secreting cells in the pancreas?

Answer 17

Alpha
Beta
Delta (secrete somatostatin)
F cells (secrete pancreatic polypeptide)

Question 18

What hormone is made by alpha cells in pancreas?

Answer 18

Glucagon
–This causes a rise in blood sugar–

Question 19

What hormone is made by beta cells in pancreas?

Answer 19

Insulin
–This causes a drop in blood sugar–
Amylin

Question 20

What is a shortcut to finding the thyroid?

Answer 20

Only feature that moves upward when they swallow.

Question 21

How do hormones recognized their target tissue?

Answer 21

There are lock and key mechanisms in place to allow hormones to find and attach to only their target tissue

Question 22

What is the difference between lipid soluble and water soluble hormones?

Answer 22

Lipids ride on plasma proteins in blood vs water is free floating
Lipids get into cells by diffusion vs water has lock and key receptors

Question 23

What are hormones of the posterior pituitary?

Answer 23

Oxytocin
ADH

Question 24

What are the effects of aging on endocrine system?

Answer 24

Hormones Decreased
Hormone metabolism decreased
Target tissues decreased responsiveness
Changes to circadian rhythm
—Gradual changes that are hard to detect–

Question 25

What data is important to ask in endocrine dysfunction?

Answer 25

Health History, Family history
Gradual or sudden onset
Meds, OTC and supplements
Surgeries, OB hx, traumatic events
Weight changes, energy levels, sexual health, brain fog, emotional changes, skin changes, appetite, bowel habits.

Question 26

What are some important things to examine in suspected endocrine dysfunction?

Answer 26

Hair, nails, skin (look for color, distribution of hair, bruising)
Size and contour of head
Thyroid exam, goiter (don’t massage!!)
Eye inspection (exophthalmos)
Gynecomastia (men)
Purple/blue striae on abdomen (Cushings)
Truncal obesity (Cushings)
Proportion of hands/feet (acromegaly)

Question 27

What is a GTT? (lab test)

Answer 27

Glucose tolerance test
Fast for 8 hours. Blood draw to get baseline glucose level. Drink sugary drink. Come back in 1-2 hours for another blood draw.
—-Tells us how well their insulin is working—

Question 28

What is a FBG? (lab test)

Answer 28

Fasting blood glucose
Blood draw after fasting 8-12 hours

Question 29

What is a glycosylated hemoglobin test?
What is a target value for diabetic and non diabetic?

Answer 29

A1C
Measures average over last 90 days
No fasting necessary
This tells us the COMPLIANCE of patient
Target value for diabetic is <7
For non diabetic is <6.5

Question 30

What are the hormones of the hypothalamus?

Answer 30

They are all called——releasing or inhibiting hormones.
Example
Corticotropin RH
Thyrotropin RH
Growth hormone RH
Gonadotropin RH
Prolactin RH
Prolactin inhibiting factor
–These work on the pituitary to release the connected hormones–