Investigations and Management Flashcards
Which investigation is used to assess pituitary function?
Glucagon stimulation and insulin stress test
Which investigations are used to assess adrenal function?
Short synacthen test
Random cortisol
*** What might a raised aldosterone/renin ration indicate?
Klinefelter’s syndrome
Which investigations are useful in diagnosing acromegaly?
Glucose tolerance test
IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) measurement
Which investigations are useful in diagnosing Cushings syndrome?
Dexamethasone suppression test
24-hour urine cortisol
What might a (mildly) raised prolactin level indicate?
PCOS
Pituitary tumour
Which disease can be diagnosed by a positive test for TSH antibodies?
Grave’s disease
What is the likely diagnosis is TSH antibodies are present but TFTs are normal?
Grave’s Opthalmopathy
Give an example of a disease that can cause a raised serum calcium level and a low PTH level
Hypercalcaemia of malignancy
What are statins used to treat?
Hypercholesterolaemia
When should fibrates be used instead of statins?
To treat hypertriglyceridaemia
How are GH-secreting pituitary tumours treated?
Somatostatin analogues
Surgery
What is metyrapone used to treat?
Excess cortisol production by adrenal glands
In which conditions is metformin a useful treatment?
Type 2 diabetes
PCOS
How would you treat painful diabetic neuropathy?
Tricyclic antidepressants
What drugs should be used in the management of a phaeochromocytoma?
Alpha-blockers
What measure is necessary in the management of syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion?
Fluid restriction
What biochemical imbalance can bisphosphonates be used to treat?
Hypercalcaemia (e.g. of malignancy)
How can osteomalacia be treated?
Vitamin D
What drug can be used to treat diabetes insipidus?
Desmopressin (if due to undersecretion of ADH)
What is a thyroid uptake scan and when is it indicated?
Scan to measure the uptake of radioiodine into the thyroid gland
Indicated in thyrotoxicosis if:
- there is suspicion of thyroiditis
- thyroid nodules are present
- diagnosis is unclear (e.g. thyrotoxicosis without goitre)
