Endocrinology Flashcards
Hyperthyroidism
Autoimmune (Grave’s disease). Toxic multimodular
Symptoms: warm and sweaty, weight loss, tachycardia, exophthalmos, tremor, goitre
Treatment: beta blockers, carbimazole
High T3 and T4, low TSH
Hypothyroidism
Causes: autoimmune (primary atrophic, Hashimoto’s)
Symptoms: tired, low mood, cold intolerance, weight gain, goitre
Treatment: replacement - levothyroxine
T3 and T4 low TSH high
Hyperparathyroidism
Symptoms: asymp. Bones, stones, abdominal groans and psychic moans
Causes: primary (adenoma), secondary (low vit D, chronic kidney disease)
Treatments: fluids, biphosphonate, steroids
Hypoparathyroidism
Symptoms: increased muscle tone, spasm, paraesthesia, seizures
Causes: primary (autoimmune/congenital)
Treatment: give calcium
Cushing’s syndrome
Too much cortisol being produced by the adrenals
Causes: Iatrogenic, primary (adrenal tumour) secondary cushing’s disease from an adenoma in the pituitary or small cell carcinoma
Symptoms: weight gain central obesity (moon face), depression, hypertension, diabetes
Investigations: 24 hour urinary cortisol, dexamethasone suppression test
Treatment: removal
Addison’s
Destroyed cortex of adrenals
Causes: autoimmunity, TB
Symptoms: lean, tanned, tired and tearful, postural hypotension
Investigation: short ACTH stimulation test
Treatment: steroids
Hyperaldosteronism
Causes: adenoma (Conn syndrome)
Symptoms: hypertension, low K+ (weakness, palpitations), polyuria, polydipsia
Treatment: removal/spironolactone
Type 1 diabetes
Causes: beta cell destruction
Symptoms: thin and fatigued, polydipsia and polyuria, infections, DKA
Treatments: insulin
Type 2 diabetes
Causes: insulin resistance, obesity
Symptoms: incidental, complications eg kidneys/numbness/blindness, obese, fatigue and polys
Treatments: diet control, metformin, gliclazide, pioglitazone, insulin
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Swelling of adrenal glands: low cortisol high androgens
Ambiguous genitalia
Dehydration, hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia
Treat with glucocorticoids
