Metabolism Flashcards
Define metabolism
Metabolism is a collection of biochemical reactions that occur in the body’s cells to produce energy, repair cells, and maintain life
What are the risk factors that put people at risk for metabolic disorders?
- dietary deficiency of vitamins and other nutrients
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Diet high in fats and refined sugars
- Medications that affect hormone levels
What are some prevention methods associated with metabolic disorder?
- routine monitoring of affected hormone levels
- Routine monitoring of fluid and electrolytes
- Testing for a secondary related disorder
- Patient education on Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Patient education to remind patients to report worsening or additional signs and symptoms
- Providing nutritional support for their conditions
- Encourage maintenance of a healthy weight and exercise routine
What are the causes of liver disease?
- Cirrhosis
- Drugs: excessive mounts of acetaminophen; statins
- alcohol abuse
- Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disese
- Iron overload
What are the signs and symptoms of liver disease?
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Jaundice
- Right upper quadrant abdominal pain
What is involved in the diagnosis of liver disease?
- history (may be difficult in patients who abuse alcohol)
- Physical exam of the entire body
- CT scan
- MRI
- Ultrasound
- Liver biopsy
- Other blood tests
What are covered during a liver biopsy?
- Specified liver function tests (LFT’s)
- AST
- ALT
- GGT
- Alkaline phosphatase
- Bilirubin
- Protein and albumin levels
What are the blood tests used to diagnose liver disease?
- CBC
- INR (blood clotting function)
- Lipase (pancreas inflammation)
- Electrolytes, BUN, Creatinine, ammonia blood level
What is hyperthyroidism?
It is over activity of the thyroid gland that leads to high levels of thyroid hormones and speeds up vital body function
What are the signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
- hair loss, brittle/soft nails, finger clubbing
- bulging eyes
- sweating,rapid HR, high BP
- Weight loss
- Regular gas, diarrhea
- Heat intolerance
- sleeping difficulties, irritability, nervousness, tremors
- scant menstrual periods, breast enlargement
- facial flushing, enlarged thyroid, localized edema
What are some reasons why thyroids can flutuate?
- potency fluctuations or dosage errors
- medication timing and food interactions
- Herb/supplement interactions
- goitrogenic foods
- Change of seasons
- Hormone fluctuations
- Pregnancy
What are some diagnostic tests for the thyroid?
- Physical exam to see if the gland is enlarged
- A blood test to measure the levels of TSH, T4, T3, free T4
- Thyroid scanning
- Radioactive iodine uptake test
- Blood test
- If cancer is suspected, a small needle biopsy can be done
What is thyroid scanning?
It determines whether the growth is solid or filled with fluid. Helps determine whether the functioning of a specific area of the thyroid is normal, overactive, or underactive.
What is a radioactive iodine uptake test?
It is when a small amount of a radioactive substance is injected into the bloodstream. The thyroid gland becomes concentrated and a gamma camera does another type of scan that will detect the radiation and produce a picture of the gland
Why would they do a blood test for thyroid patients?
They could suspect an autoimmune disorder and they are checking for antibodies that can attack the thyroid gland
How often is screening recommended for women?
every 5 years for women over 35; pregnant women; newborns
How often is screening recommended for men?
every 5 years for men over 65; newborns
What are the most common causes of hyperthyroidism?
- Graves disease
- Toxic multinodular goiter
- Thyoiditis
- Single toxic nodule
- Thyroid Storm (crisis)
What are the signs and symptoms of a thyroid storm?
- hyperthermia, flushed smooth skin
- Tachycardia, diaphoresis, palpations, dyspnea, heart failure
- Systolic hypertension
- Abdominal symptoms
- Agitation
- Tremors
- Confusion, mood swings, coma
What is Graves Disease?
An autoimmune disorder that result in the overproduction of thyroid hormones and typically affects women 20 to 40 years of age