Endocrinology

Question 1

Hyposecretion

Answer 1

The secretion of too little hormone

Question 2

Hypersecretion

Answer 2

The secretion of too much hormone

Question 3

Hyporesponsiveness

Answer 3

Occurs when the receptors on target cells are under-responsive to a hormone

Question 4

Hyperresponsiveness

Answer 4

Occurs when the target cells over respond to a hormone

Question 5

Primary Disorder

Answer 5

The disorder is located primarily in the end-organ

Question 6

What is an example of a primary disorder?

Answer 6

Primary hyperthyroidism - under production of the thyroid hormone, which happens because of problems in the thyroid itself

Question 7

Secondary Disorder

Answer 7

The source of the disorder is somewhere besides the end-organ

Question 8

What two glands are usually involved in a secondary disorder?

Answer 8

Hypothalamus or pituitary

Question 9

What is an example of a secondary disorder?

Answer 9

Secondary hypercortisolism - a pituitary tumor makes makes too much ACTH, causing the adrenal gland to make too much cortisol

Question 10

What is a tropic hormone?

Answer 10

A hormone whose purpose is to release another hormone

Question 11

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?

Answer 11

T3 - higher than normal
T4 - higher than normal
TSH - lower than normal

Question 12

Which gland sits in the anterior neck and consists mainly of follicles; it also contains colloid

Answer 12

The thyroid gland

Question 13

Which cells of the thyroid secrete calcitonin?

Answer 13

C cells

Question 14

How many parathyroid glands are there, and where are they located?

Answer 14

4; posterior surface of the thyroid

Question 15

The actual thyroid hormone is secreted where?

Answer 15

Within the colloid space

Question 16

The 3 and 4 of T3 and T4 refer to what?

Answer 16

The number of Iodide groups

Question 17

Which thyroid hormone is more active, T3 or T4?

Answer 17

T3; T4 can actually covert to T3 when levels are low

Question 18

The general term for any situation in which plasma levels of cortisol are chronically lower than normal

Answer 18

Adrenal insufficiency

Question 19

Patients with adrenal insufficiency suffer from what type of symptoms

Answer 19

Weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite

Question 20

Why might patients with an adrenal insufficiency suffer from low blood pressure?

Answer 20

Because cortisol is needed to permit the full extent of the cardiovascular actions of epinephrine

Question 21

A decrease in aldosterone concentration can cause what problem?

Answer 21

An imbalance of Na+, K+, and water

Question 22

What disease is caused by too much cortisol in the blood?

Answer 22

Cushing’s syndrome

Question 23

How does Secondary Cushing’s syndrome (Cushing’s disease) present?

Answer 23

Uncontrolled catabolism of bone, muscle, skin and other organs

Question 24

What are symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome?

Answer 24

Osteoporosis, muscle weakness, blood sugar rises to diabetic levels, immunosuppression, redistribution of fat, and hypertension