Extra Endocrinology Flashcards
DIABETES MELLITUS
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What are normal blood glucose levels?
3.5-8.0mmol/L
Why is glucose important for the brain?
- The brain is a major consumer of glucose
- The brain cannot use free fatty acids to be converted to ketones which then can be converted to Acetyl-CoA and used in Kreb’s cycle for energy production
- This is because FREE FATTY ACIDS CANNOT PASS THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER
- Glucose uptake by the brain is OBLIGATORY and is not dependant on insulin
Describe the biphasic release of insulin
- B cells can sense the rising of glucose and want to metabolism it by releasing insulin
- The first phase is the RAPID RELEASE of STORED INSULIN
- If the glucose levels remain high then the second phase is initiated, this takes longer due to the fact that more insulin needs to be SYNTHESISED.
Describe insulin the molecule, how is it made?
- Proinsulin made up of alpha and beta chains held together by C peptide.
- The proinsulin is cleaved from the C peptide»insulin and packaged into vesicles.
- Synthetic insulin does not have C peptide so the presence of C peptide in the blood determines whether the insulin is natural or not.
GLUT 1 receptors
Enables basal non-insulin stimulated glucose uptake into many cells.
GLUT 2 receptors
Found in the beta cells of the pancreas and renal tubules and hepatocytes.
- They transport the glucose into the beta-cell, this allows the cells to sense glucose levels.
- low-affinity receptor that only allows glucose in when there is a high conc of glucose
GLUT 3 receptors
Enables non-insulin mediated glucose uptake into brian neurones and placenta.
GLUT 4 receptors
Mediates much of the peripheral action of insulin. Channel through which glucose is taken up into muscle and adipose tissue cells following stimulation of the insulin receptor by insulin binding to it.
What conditions might diabetes be secondary to?
- Pancreatic pathology
- Endocrine diseases
- Drug-induced
- MODY
Maturity onset diabetes of youth
- Autosomal dominant form of type 2 diabetes
- Gene defect altering the beta-cell function
- Tends to present <25 yrs with a positive family history
Pathophysiology of Type 1 Diabetes
- Result of autoimmune destruction by autoantibodies of the pancreatic beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans
- This causes insulin deficiency and thus a continued breakdown of liver glycogen»> increase in glucose and ketones.
- This leads to glycosuria and ketonuria as more glucose is in the blood.
- In skeletal muscle and fat there is impaired glucose clearance, when the blood glucose reaches 10mmol/L the body can no longer absorb glucose so you become thirsty and get polyuria (body’s attempt to remove glucose).
- Eventual complete Beta-cell destruction results in the absence of serum C-peptide.
- Risk of diabetic ketoacidosis
Describe the mechanism of action of ORLISTAT
Given in obese patients as it is an intestinal lipase inhibitor and reduces the absorption of fat from the diet hence promotes weight loss
Describe the effects of biguanides e.g. METFORMIN
1) Reduces the rate of gluconeogenesis in the liver
2) Increases cells sensitivity to insulin
3) Helps with weight issues
4) Reduces CVS risk in diabetes
State 4 S/E of METFORMIN
1) Anorexia
2) Diarrhoea
3) Nausea
4) Abdominal pain
When is METFORMIN contraindicated?
In heart failure, liver disease or renal disease, it can induce lactic acidosis.
Describe the mechanism of action of sulfonylurea e.g. ORAL GLICAZIDE
Promotes insulin secretion by binding to beta-cell receptors, therefore ineffective in patients without a functional beta-cell mass.
Describe the negative/ contraindications of ORAL GLICAZIDE
1) Avoided in pregnancy
2) Effect wears off as bet-cell mass declines
3) Does not prevent the gradual failure of insulin secretion
4) S/E: hypoglycaemia, weight gain
5) People with renal impairment should use sulfonylurea’s primarily excreted by the liver
What class of drugs are ORAL NATEGLINIDE? How do they work?
Sulfonylurea receptor binders that increase beta-cell insulin release, taken 1/2 hour before a meal.
What class of drugs are SC EXENATIDE? How do they work?
Glucagon-like peptide analogues, such as incretins which mimic the effect of two peptide hormones GIP, GLP-1, that are released from the pancreas and promote insulin release after an oral glucose load.
Name the main 3 types of insulin
1) Short-acting soluble insulin
2) Short-acting insulin analogues
3) Long-acting insulins
Describe the pathophysiology of DKA
Ketoacidosis is a state of uncontrolled catabolism associated with insulin deficiency.
1) In the absence of insulin peripheral lipolysis occurs leading to an increase in circulating free fatty acids which are then broken down to acetyl-coenzyme A within the liver cells and this, in turn, is converted to ketone bodies within the mitochondria.
2) Ketone bodies are acidic pH 3.5 therefore the pH of the blood decreases and produces a metabolic acidosis.
3) This impairs Hb ability to bind to O2, compensation for this leads to hyperventilation.
4) Dehydration leads to impaired renal excretion of H+ ions and ketones»> aggravating the acidosis.
5) pH falls below 7, the pH dependant enzyme system starts to fail, stress hormones also accelerate this process.
Describe the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy.
- Allodynia (triggered by stimuli that usually doesn’t cause pain).
- Paraesthesia (pins and needles type)
- Burning and pain worse at night
What is hypoglycaemia defined as?
When the plasma glucose falls <3mmol/L
What is the cause commonly of hypoglycaemia in diabetics?
Due to insulin or sulphonylurea treatment
What are the causes of hypoglycaemia in non-diabetics?
EXPLAIN
EX- exogenous drugs (insulin, alcohol with no food)
P-Pituitary insufficiency
L- Liver failure
Addison’s disease
I- Islet cell tumour (insulinoma) and immune hypoglycaemia
N- Non-pancreatic neoplasm e.g. fibrosarcomas and haemangiopericytomas
Name 5 risk factors of hypoglycaemia
- Female sex
- Middle age
- Long duration of diabetes
- Insulinoma
- Exogenous insulin
Name the Autonomic presentations of hypoglycaemia
- Diaphoresis (Sweating)
- Anxiety
- Hunger
- Tremor
- Palpitations
- Dizziness
Name the Neuroglycopenic presentations of hypoglycaemia
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Visual trouble
- Seizures
- Coma
- Nausea
Describe the first line diagnostics for hypoglycaemia
- Fingerprick blood during the attack and sent to a lab
- Take drug history and LFT to exclude liver failure
- Bloods: glucose, insulin, C-peptide, plasma ketones
Treatment for Hypoglycaemia
1) Oral sugar and long-acting starch
2) If cannot swallow give iv 50% GLUCOSE
3) If no IV access give IM GLUCAGON
4) In diabetics re-educate them on insulin use and safety.
THYROID DISORDERS
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Describe the basic anatomy of the thyroid gland
- location
- blood supply
- innervation
- Located in the anterior neck between C5-T1 vertebrae
- Divided into two lobes connected by the isthmus
- Straddles the trachea
- Blood supply:
- Superior thyroid artery – arises as to the first
branch of the external carotid artery.
- Inferior thyroid artery – arises from the
thyrocervical trunk (a branch of the subclavian
artery).
- In 10% of people extra artery thyroid ima artery - Innervation: The thyroid gland is innervated by branches derived from the sympathetic trunk.
Describe the pathogenesis of Graves’ Disease
- Serum IgG antibodies known as TSH receptor stimulating antibodies bind to TSH receptors in the thyroid.
- Therefore stimulating thyroid hormone production.
- Results in excess secretion of the thyroid hormones and hyperplasia of thyroid follicular cells
- Leads to a diffuse goitre
- Similar autoantigen can also result in retro-orbital inflammation- graves ophthalmology
What is diplopia?
Double vision
What is pretibial myxedema?
Raised, purple-red symmetrical skin lesions over the anterolateral aspects of the shin.
What is thyroid acropathy?
Clubbing, swollen fingers and periosteal bone formation
THYROID CANCER
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Pathophysiology of thyroid cancer
- Thyroglobulin secreted by 90% which can be used as a tumour marker after thyroid ablation
- Derived from thyroid epithelium
- Maybe undifferentiated/ differentiated
HYPOTHYROIDISM
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Name 4 drugs that can cause hypothyroidism.
1) Carbimazole
2) Lithium
3) Amiodarone
4) Interferon
CUSHING’S SYNDROME/DISEASE
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What are the functions of cortisol
1) Increased carbohydrate and protein catabolism
2) Increased deposition of fat and glycogen
3) Na+ retention
4) Increased renal K+ loss
5) Diminished host response to infection
In what pattern is cortisol released?
CRH and hence cortisol are released according the circadian rhythm and in stress
Highest levels in the morning 7/9am and lowest at midnight
Name 2 ACTH independent causes of Cushing’s disease
1) Adrenal adenoma
- tumour of the adrenal gland that releases cortisol
2) Iatrogenic
e. g. prednisolone
ACROMEGALY
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Which two hypothalamus hormones are the growth hormone controlled by?
- Growth hormone-releasing hormone (STIMULATES)
- Somatostatin (INHIBITS)
What two other factors can inhibit/stimulate the release of GH?
- High glucose levels can inhibit GH
- Ghrelin, which is synthesised in the stomach also stimulates GH secretion.
Describe two ways in which GH exerts its actions
1) Indirectly through the induction of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), which is synthesised in the liver and other tissues.
2) Directly on tissues such as liver, muscle, bone or fat to induce metabolic changes
What is growth hormone?
- Somatotropin
- Peptide hormone
- Synthesised, stored and secreted by somatotropic cells within the lateral wings of the anterior pituitary gland.
Name 4 functions of growth hormone
1) Stimulates growth and protein synthesis
2) Stimulates glucogenesis and inhibits insulin resulting in an increase in glucose. It is a stress hormone
3) Works on adipose tissue to break down fat
4) Stimulates the production of IGF-1 which acts on the skeleton to increase cartilage proliferation
Gigantism
Excessive GH production in children before the fusion of the epiphyses of the long bones
Acromegaly
Excess GH in adults.
Describe the 2 main aetiology behind Acromegaly
- Benign GH-producing pituitary tumour
- Rarer hyperplasia e.g. ectopic GH-releasing hormone from a carcinoid tumour.