Endocrine Review Flashcards
What is the Hypothalamus?
- Secretes hormones that stimulates/suppresses release of hormones in pituitary gland
- Controls water balance, sleep, temperature, appetite, and blood pressure
What is the Pituitary Gland?
- Regulates growth (growth hormone), metabolism, and reproduction.
- Production of hormones is stimulated or suppressed by the hypothalamus
- Pea sized
What is the Thyroid Gland?
- Butterfly-shaped organ located in front of the neck
- Responsible for metabolism
What is Gestational Diabetes?
- May develop during pregnancy
- Increased glucose intolerance, resulting in high glucose levels
- Insulin given worst case scenario (NO ORAL MEDS, can be teratogenic)
What is Gestational Diabetes?
- Develops only during pregnancy
- Results in glucose intolerance, leading to higher glucose levels
- Insulin is given worst case (NO ORAL MEDS - can be teratogenic)
- Dietary management is key
Explain how Gestational Diabetes happens?
- Hormones are made when woman is pregnant
- Sometimes, these hormones affect the pancreas
- The pancreas produces less effective insulin due to hormones
- Woman gets high blood sugar (LOL get rekt)
Patho of Hyperglycemia/DKA?
- Insulin deficit = decreased transportation and use of glucose in cells
- BGL level rises (hyperglycemia)
- Excess glucose spills into urine (glucosuria) because the kidneys can not fully filter and reabsorb the high amounts of glucose
- Glucose in urine exerts osmotic pressure in the renal system
- Results in large volumes of urine to be excreted (polyuria) and loss of fluid ad electrolytes from body and tissues
- Fluid loss through urine and high BGL draws water from cells, resulting in dehydration and thirst
- Lack of nutrients entering cells stimulates appetite
*If lack of insulin is severe/prolonged, it can lead to DKA
- Glucose can’t be used to create energy, therefore the body uses fats and proteins to create energy.
- The byproduct of fat catabolism are ketones
- Ketones bind with bicarbonate in blood, leading to a lower pH
- Kidneys aren’t able to keep up with altered pH and dehydration; unable to excrete ketones in urine
- Results in DKA
What is Grave’s Disease?
- Hyperthyroidism
- Immune system attacks thyroid gland. Thyroid glands reacts by producing/secreting Thyroid Hormone
S&S:
- Fine, brittle hair,
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Enlarged liver
- N/V/D
- Big eyes fam O_O
What causes Hypothyroidism?
- Inflammation of thyroid glands OR
- Autoimmune destruction of thyroid gland
This results in decreased metabolism. S&S include:
- Weight gain/difficulty losing weight
- Cold intolerance
- Muscle cramps
- Depression
What are two types of Adrenal Insufficiency called?
Primary or Secondary
What is Primary Adrenal Insufficiency?
- Addison’s Disease
- Atrophy or destruction of glands, leading to deficiency of all steroid hormones
- Frequently presents with hyperpigmentation of skin
What is Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency?
- Relatively common condition
- Lack of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) secretion from pituitary gland
- ACTH stimulates adrenal cortex to manufacture and secrete cortisol
- Seen with patients who abruptly stop taking corticosteroids
Patient presents with round, puffy face, wasting muscles of limbs, heavy trunk, and fat at back of the neck. What could you be thinking the patient has?
Cushing’s Syndrome.
- When excessive amounts of corticosteroids are released (cortisol, hydrocortisone)
What is considered both an exocrine and endocrine gland?
Pancreas
