Pituitary Flashcards
What hormones are secreted by the anterior pituitary?
FLAT PIG FSH LH ACTH TSH PRL MSH GH
What is hormones are secreted by the posteriorly pituitary?
ADH vasopressin
Oxytocin
Why does hypopituitarism present earlier in pre-menopausal women?
Since get secondary amenorrhea
Hypopituitarism is a deficiency of 1 or more hormones produced by the pituitary gland - true or false
True
What are trophic hormones?
Produced by anterior pituitary
What is the commonest cause of hypopituitarism?
Pituitary adenoma
How does a pituitary adenoma cause hypopituitarism?
Pituitary adenoma secretes excess of 1 type of hormone which causes deficiency of other hormones
Name 2 iatrogenic causes of hypopituitaism
Head irradiation
During surgery
What is a macro and microadenoma?
Micro <1cm
Macro >1cm
What visual field defect can a pituitary adenoma cause?
Bitemporal hemianopia
What visual field defect can a craniopharyngioma cause?
?
In hypopituitarism, what is the general order for loss of pituitary hormone function?
GGAT
Gonadotrophins > GH > ACTH > TSH
What is Sheehan’s syndrome?
Vascular cause of hypopituitarism - to severe hypotension eg in obstetric blood loss
What is pituitary apoplexy?
Infarction or haemorrhage of pituitary gland
TB, syphilis and AIDS can all cause hypopituitarism - true or false
True
A craniopharyngioma can cause hypopituitarism - true or flase
True (compression)
When investigating hypopituitarism, measure pituitary hormones + those that they stimulate. Which 2 hormones are less useful to measure since they have variable release?
Cortisol, growth hormone
What type of imaging is best to visualise the pituitary?
MRI
When investigating hypopituitarism, measure pituitary hormones + those that they stimulate. Which hormones are measured?
TSH, fT4, LH/FSH, estrogen/ testosterone
all low
ITT insulin tolerance: give _____, causes _____, should see rise in _____ + _____
ITT insulin tolerance: give INSULIN, causes HYPOGLYCAEMIA, should see rise in CORTISOL + GROWTH HORMONE
ACTH-oma is also known as what?
Cushing’s disease
GH-oma is also known as what?
Acromegaly
Acromegaly causes gigantism in children if onset before _____
epiphyseal fusion
What effect does Cushing’s disease have on
- face shape
- mood
- energy levels
- body composition
- BMI
- glucose
- hair
- menstruation
Moon face Depression Low energy Lemon on sticks High BMI Hyperglycaemia Thin hair / hirsutism Oligomenorrhea
(Also: frequent infections, poor concentrations, buffalo hump, poor wound healing, hypertension)