Hypopituitarism

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

Low secretion anterior pituitary hormones

Question 2

Think about the 6 hormones that are going to be affected by this?

What is panhypopituitarism?

Answer 2

GH 
FSH 
LH
TSH
ACTH
PRL

They stop being produced in this order!!

A deficiency of all the anterior hormones usually due to irradiation, surgery, or pituitary tumour

Question 3

Causes:

What tumours could cause this? - 4

What is pituitary apoplexy?

Answer 3

Non-functional adenoma
Functional adenoma compressing stalk
Neighbouring tumour
Mets

Bleeding or infarction that affects the pituitary gland

Question 4

Causes:

Inflammatory or toxic causes - 4

Iatrogenic

Answer 4

Haemochromatosis
Sarcoidosis
TB

Post-surgery
Cranial radiotherapy

Question 5

What is important to remember if the cause is the secondary mass effect?

Answer 5

It usually affects less important hormones first (e.g. GH or LH/FSH) before vital hormones (ACTH, TSH, AVP)

Question 6

S+S:

Children:

• What 2 hormones lead to hypoglycaemia?
• What may happen in children if there is a lack of GH?

Adults:

• What hormone is at high levels due to the tumour mass effect?
• What hormone at low levels causes CVD?
• What hormone at low levels causes DI?

Answer 6

Growth failure and/or delayed puberty

GH and ACTH

Prolactin

GH

AVP