Endocrinology Flashcards
Hyposecretion
The secretion of too little hormone
Hypersecretion
The secretion of too much hormone
Hyporesponsiveness
Occurs when the receptors on target cells are under-responsive to a hormone
Hyperresponsiveness
Occurs when the target cells over respond to a hormone
Primary Disorder
The disorder is located primarily in the end-organ
What is an example of a primary disorder?
Primary hyperthyroidism - under production of the thyroid hormone, which happens because of problems in the thyroid itself
Secondary Disorder
The source of the disorder is somewhere besides the end-organ
What two glands are usually involved in a secondary disorder?
Hypothalamus or pituitary
What is an example of a secondary disorder?
Secondary hypercortisolism - a pituitary tumor makes makes too much ACTH, causing the adrenal gland to make too much cortisol
What is a tropic hormone?
A hormone whose purpose is to release another hormone
In a patient with hyperthyroidism, what would you expect to happen to the levels of T3, T4, and TSH? (would they be higher than normal, normal, or lower than normal?
T3 - higher than normal
T4 - higher than normal
TSH - lower than normal
Which gland sits in the anterior neck and consists mainly of follicles; it also contains colloid
The thyroid gland
Which cells of the thyroid secrete calcitonin?
C cells
How many parathyroid glands are there, and where are they located?
4; posterior surface of the thyroid
The actual thyroid hormone is secreted where?
Within the colloid space
The 3 and 4 of T3 and T4 refer to what?
The number of Iodide groups
Which thyroid hormone is more active, T3 or T4?
T3; T4 can actually covert to T3 when levels are low
The general term for any situation in which plasma levels of cortisol are chronically lower than normal
Adrenal insufficiency
Patients with adrenal insufficiency suffer from what type of symptoms
Weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite
Why might patients with an adrenal insufficiency suffer from low blood pressure?
Because cortisol is needed to permit the full extent of the cardiovascular actions of epinephrine
A decrease in aldosterone concentration can cause what problem?
An imbalance of Na+, K+, and water
What disease is caused by too much cortisol in the blood?
Cushing’s syndrome
How does Secondary Cushing’s syndrome (Cushing’s disease) present?
Uncontrolled catabolism of bone, muscle, skin and other organs
What are symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome?
Osteoporosis, muscle weakness, blood sugar rises to diabetic levels, immunosuppression, redistribution of fat, and hypertension
