Endocrinology Session 4 CLINICAL Flashcards
How to remember what the adrenal hormones act on?
Salt, sugar, sex
How does cortisol deficiency present?
Weakness
Tiredness
Weight loss
Hypoglycaemia
How does mineralocorticoid deficiency present?
Dizziness
Hyponatraemia
Hyperkalaemia
How does androgen deficiency present?
Low libido
Loss of body hair in women (as adrenal gland only source of testosterone)
How does cortisol excess present?
Weight gain
Cushingoid features
How does mineralocorticoid excess present?
Hypertension
Hypokalaemia
How does androgen excess present?
Increased male characteristics in women
How does excess ACTH present?
Skin pigmentation due to melanocyte stimulation
How does adrenal medulla disease present?
- Excess catecholamine secretion (due to a pheochromocytoma)
- Acute episodes
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Palpitations
- High/low BP
- Collapse
- SUDDEN DEATH
What biochemical tests would you do if adrenal hormone deficiency is suspected and what would they show?
- Electrolytes: low Na, high K (aldosterone), low Na but normal K (ACTH deficiency)
- 0900 basal cortisol: low
- Stimulation test: synthetic ACTH
What biochemical tests would you do if adrenal hormone excess was suspected and what would they show?*
- Electrolytes: High BP, low K
- Midnight cortisol: high (should be low)
- 24h urine cortisol: high
- Suppresion test: cannot suppress
- Androgens: high
What biochemical tests would you do to assess the adrenal medulla?
- 24h urine catecholamines (NAd, Ad, dopamine)
- 24h urine metanephrines- breakdown products of catecholamines (metadrenaline, normetadrenaline)
- plasma metanephrines (more sensitive)
Which foods should be avoided before collection of urine?
Eg. coffee and coke
How do you radiologically assess adrenal disease?*
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- Functional imaging: MIBG and PET scans
What can cause adrenal insufficiency?
- Primary adrenal failure
- Destruction of adrenal cortex
- Addison’s disease
What can cause secondary adrenal failure?
ACTH deficiency from hypopituitarism
What can cause steroid-induced hypoadrenalism?
ACTH suppression
What are the symptoms of Addison’s disease?*
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Anorexia
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Dizziness
- Pigmentation