Endocrine system Flashcards
what is the endocrine system?
group of specialized glands that affect the growth, development, sexual activities and health of the entire body
what does the endocrine system produce?
hormones
hormones
chemical messengers that communicate instructions to the cells of the body
hypothalamus
structure in the brain that controls the secretion of hormones
name the organs of the endocrine system (7)
- pituitary gland
- thyroid gland
- parathyroid gland
- adrenal glands
- pancreas
- ovaries
- testes
pituitary gland
-master gland of the endocrine system, located at the base of the brain
-secretes hormones that govern hormonal secretion of other endocrine glands
-produces growth hormone, prolactin
oxytocin, & antidiuretic hormone
thyroid gland
- located in the anterior neck in 2 lobes that lie on either side of the trachea (throat)
- produces thyroid hormones that regulate metabolic activity in the body & calcitonin
adrenal glands
-attached to the upper portion of each kidney
- secrete 3 types of steroid hormones called corticosteroids:
a) sex hormones i.e., estrogen and androgen
b) mineralocorticoids
c) glucocorticoids (cortisol)
-produces epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine
pancreas
-posterior to stomach and beneath the liver, plays an important role in digestion and blood sugar regulation
- exocrine function: produce digestive secretions which flow into the small intestine to help digest food
- endocrine function: produces glucagon and insulin
ovaries
- 2 oval glands in the pelvic cavity on either side of the uterus
- produce female sex cell (ovum/egg), estrogen and progesterone
testes
- 2 oval glands in the scrotum
- produce male sex cell (spermatozoa/sperm) and testosterone
growth hormone
- produced by the pituitary gland
- stimulates the growth of bones, muscles, organs and other tissue
prolactin
- produced by the pituitary gland
- enhances growth of breast tissue and stimulates milk production
oxytocin
- produced by the pituitary gland
- triggers contraction of the uterus in labour and childbirth
antidiuretic hormone
- produced by the pituitary gland
- regulates water balance in the body
calcitonin
- produced by the thyroid gland
- regulates the amount calcium in the blood and maintains healthy bones
parathyroid glands
- 4 glands attached to the thyroid
- secrete parathyroid hormone which helps maintain calcium levels in the body
estrogen and androgen
- sex hormones produced in the ovaries/testes and the adrenal glands
- maintain secondary sex characteristics e.g. breast development and facial hair
mineralocorticoids
- produced in the adrenal glands
- steroid hormone that regulates electrolyte balance
glucocortoids
includes cortisol, produced in the adrenal glands
-help promote normal metabolism, resistance to stress, and counter-inflammatory response
epinephrine
- also known as adrenaline, produced by adrenal glands
- produces “fight or flight” response to stress
norepinephrine
- produced in adrenal glands
- elevates blood pressure
insulin
- hormone produced in the pancreas
- regulates blood sugar along with glucagon
progesterone
- produced in the ovaries
- regulates menstruation
testosterone
- produced in the testes
- controls sexual development and reproductive function
dwarfism
pituitary gland pathology in which a deficiency of growth hormone causes a person to be shorter than average
gigantism
pituitary gland pathology that results from excess growth hormone before puberty and causes excessive skeletal growth
acromegaly
pituitary gland pathology
- caused by and excess of growth hormone in adulthood
- characterized by enlarged feature particularly of the face, hands and extremities
goiter
thyroid gland pathology
-enlargement of the thyroid due to a lack of iodine in the diet or inflammation, infection, tumour or malfunction of the thyroid gland
hypothyroidism
thyroid gland pathology
-decreased function of the thyroid gland causing a decrease in metabolic activity
hyperthyroidism
-increased function of the thyroid gland causing an increased metabolic rate, nervousness, constant hunger, weight loss and fatigue
addison’s disease
- caused by autoimmune destruction of the adrenal glands (decreased cortisol production)
- causes decreased cardiac output, hypotension, dehydration, weakness and fatigue, hyperpigmentation of the skin, bluish-black gums, weakened immune system
- chronic disease that requires lifetime hormone replacement therapy
cushing’s syndrome (hormone excess)
-pathology of the adrenal glands referring to an incresase in cortisol from any cause
symptoms:
- altered fat metabolism resulting in a protruding abdomen, fat pads on the back (buffalo hump) and a round “moon face”
- increased facial hair and thinning of scalp hair, decreased menstruation, decreased testosterone
- decreased ability of the body to heal
diabetes mellitus
pathology of the pancreas
-a chronic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism that is primarily a result of deficiency or complete lack of insulin secretion by the pancreas, or of defects of the insulin receptors in cells
-type 1, type 2, gestational
type 1 diabetes
- aka insulin-dependent diabetes
- usually has its onset in children and adolescents, may be associated with a genetic predisposition to the disorders
- cells of the pancreas do not produce insulin, causing an increase in blood sugar and a breakdown of body fats and proteins, affected person must take insulin by injection
type 2 diabetes
- results from impaired ability of the tissues to use insulin accompanied by a relative decrease of insulin
- usually occurs in mid-life
gestational diabetes
- occurs during pregnancy
- affects women with a family history of diabetes, who’ve had a very large baby, who are older, or who have had several pregnancies
symptoms of diabetes
excessive urination, thirst and hunger, blurred vision, paresthesia (numbness/tingling of extremities), and skin infections (decreased circulation of the feet/extremities)
what are the precautions we must take when treating a diabetic client?
diabetic client can experience a sudden drop in blood sugar levels especially after lengthy or back-to-back services; have snacks or juice ready and allow client time between services
decreased circulation =
- lack of normal sensation in the feet, decreased healing ability
- no extremes of temperature (hot or cold) should be used on the feet, no oils should be used if sores or cracks are present, take extreme care not to damage the skin
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
-occurs from a relative excess of insulin in the blood causing below-normal blood sugar levels
amenorrhea
absence of menstruation after 16 years
secondary amenorrhea
absence of menstruation for a period of 3 months or more in those who have previously menstruated
dysmenorhhea
painful menstruation
