Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Endocrine > Pituitary Disorders > Flashcards

Pituitary Disorders Flashcards

1
Q

What are the anterior pituitary disorders?

Posterior?

A

Anterior: Adenomas, Prolactinoma, Acromegaly, GIantism, Panhypopituitarism, Cushings Disease

Posterior: SIADH and Diabetes Insipidus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the two main causes of disorder of the pituitary gland?

A
  • hyperactivity

- hypoactivity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the 6 regulatory hormones of the hypothalamus?

A
  • Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH)
  • Gonadotropin Releasing HOrmone (GnRH)
  • Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)
  • Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH)
  • Growth Hormone inhibitory hormone (somatostatin)
  • Prolactin Inhibiting Hormone (PIH)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the major hormones of the anterior pituitary? Posterior pituitary?

A
  • FSH
  • LH
  • ACTH
  • TSH
  • Prolactin
  • GH

Posterior:

  • ADH
  • Oxytocin
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the two main type of adenomas?

A
  • Microadenoma: tumor of benign glandular tissue that is less than 10mm in diameter
    ex. prolactinoma

-Macroadenoma: tumor or benign glandular tissue that is larger than 10mm in diameter, may cause mass effect.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Hyperprolactinoma

  • what is this?
  • causes
  • sx
  • prolacting may inhibit what two hormones?
A

What is this: a tumor of the anterior pituitary that secretes excess prolactin.

Causes:

  • -Prolactinoma: signals (PIH) from the hypothalamus may be interrupted with damage to the stalk leading to increased prolactin.
  • -trauma: same as prolactinoma.
  • -medication: meds that increase serotonin.
  • -hypothyroidism: TRH also stimulates the release of Prolactin

Sx:

  • compression of the optic chiasm leading to bitemporal hemianopsia
  • Women: amonorrhea, galactorrhea(spont. milk flow from breast), infertility
  • Men: decreased libido, gynecomastia(man boobs), erectile dysfunction, infertility

Inhibits FSH and LH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the best single laboratory test for dx of hyperprolactinemia? What test is used to confirm the dx?

A
  • ***Prolactin Level

- MRI to confirm the dx.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Treatment of Hyperprolactinemia?

A
  • dopamine agonists (because dopamine is PIH and this decreases the levels of prolactin int the blood. )
  • -Cabergoline, Bromocriptine
  • transsphenoidal pituitary srugery
  • radiation therapy
  • chemo with Temozolom
  • MRI
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Acromegaly

  • what is this?
  • Characterized by?
  • cause?
  • symptoms
  • Sx and symptoms
  • most common age of occurs?
A
  • anterior pituitary disorder
  • characterized by enlargement, thickening, and broadening of bones.

Cause:

  • hypersecretion of GH after* fusion of epiphysis with shaft of bone
  • adenomatous tumor of the AP (acidophilic cells)
Signs and Symptoms: 
-striking protrusion of: 
--supraorbital ridges
---broadening of nose
--thickening of lips
--thickening and wrinkles on forehead
--lower jaw (prognathism) 
"gorilla face"
--kyphosis
--enlargement of hands and feet
--scalp is thickened 
--overgrowth of body hair
--visceral organs are enlarged

-most common age is 20-40

Tx:

  • transsphenoidal resection
  • Cabergoline (best medical therapy)
  • gamma knife radiosurgery
  • MRI
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Acromegaly is almost always caused by what??

A

A PITUITARY TUMOR!!!

-excess GH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

WHat is the diff between gigantism and acromegaly?

A
  • gigantism occurs during childhood
  • acromegaly appears during adulthood.

acromegalic gigantism: is gigantism. ??

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Giantism

  • cause?
  • sx and signs
  • best initial test
  • Tx
A

Cause:

  • hypersecretion of GH in childhood or in pre-adult years
  • tumor of acidophillic cells of anterior pituitary

Sx and Symptoms:

  • 7-8 ft tall
  • hyperglycemia, pituitary DM, HA
  • visual disturbance (pituitary tumor)
  • results in hypopituitarism

-Test: IFG-1 level to rule in/out acromegaly.

Tx:

  • transsphenoidal resection
  • Cabergoline (best medical therapy)
  • gamma knife radiosurgery
  • MRI
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Hypopituitarism
causes
what is the first hormone deficiency to develop? others?
sx of each hormone deficiency

A

causes

  • pituitary apoplexy (hemorrhage into the pituitary gland, usually secondary to existing adenoma)
  • Sheehan’s syndrome (post partume paituitary ischemic necrosis
  • Infiltration (sarcoid, TB, syphilis)
  • Non-functioning adenoma
  • trauma
  • stroke
  • mass effect

Deficiencies

  • GH is the first hormonal deficiency to develop
  • LH/FSH (#2 to go)
  • TSH
  • ACTH

sx

  • vary with specific hormone deficiency
  • GH: increased abdominal fat, anxiety, depression, fatigue, decreased libido
  • LH/FSH: amenorrhea, infertility, genital atrophy, erectile dysfunction
  • TSH: fatigue, weight gain, weakness, decreased appetite
  • ACTH: fatigue, decreased appetite, low BP, low glucose

-congenital panhypopituitarism: micropenis, midline defects, optic atrophy, hypoglycemia, poor growth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Pituitary apoplexy

  • what is it
  • acute sx
  • tx
A

-hemorrhage into the pituitary

  • HA, n/v, altered mental status, low BP, low blood glucose
  • a rare endocrine emergency!
  • stabilize, assessment of fluid and electrolyte balances, IV steroids
  • neuro assessment
  • surgery if severe
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the best initial test for hypopituitary function?

Tx

A

-best initial test for hypopituitary function is to check AP hormones (LF/FSH, TSH, ACTH, GH) and MRI

-Tx:
address the underlying cause, replace hormones, apoplexy may require surgical decompression

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Most common signs and symptoms of cushings

A
  • moon face
  • buffalo hump
  • truncal obesity
  • extremity wasting
  • darkening of skin on neck
  • facial redness
  • facial hair growth
  • osteoporosis
  • hyperglycemia
  • htn
  • immunosuppression
  • purple striae (d/t stretching of abdominal wall by excess subQ fat, rupture of subdermal tissues d/t stretching, deficiency of collagen fibers d/t protein depeletion)
17
Q

SIADH (Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone)

  • what is this?
  • causes
  • characterized by what two things?
  • Sx: Hyponatremia
  • Work up/dx
  • Tx
A

-elevated ADH levels from posterior pituitary.

Cause:
TBI, Malginancy, Meningitis, Medications

Characterized by : euvolemic, hyponatremia (low serum osmalality)

*ADH = aquaporins.

Sx of Hyponatreia: asymptomatic, HA, N/V, AMS, seizures

Work up/Dx:
-CMP,
-urine Na and osmolality
(urine Na is high and serum sodium is low)
-CT head
-Rule out SIADH producing cancers: CXR (small cell cancer of lung) and CT abd (pancreatic cancer)

Tx:

  • fluid restriction 1200-1800ml/day
  • For symptomatic pt: hypertonic saline** Do NOT correct Na too quickly as it may cause central pontine myelinolysis.
18
Q

Diabetes Insipidus

  • what is this?
  • causes
  • wheres the Na?
  • Signs and symptoms
A

-Posterior Pituitary disorder characterized by excess excretion of water through the urine. (lack of appropriate levels of ADH)

Causes:

  • central: deficiency of ADH or resistance to ADH
  • -tumor and truama** MOST COMMON CAUSE**
  • -lesion (injury) of hypothalamus
  • l-esion in hypothalamo-hypophyseal trat
  • -atrophy of posterior pituitary
  • nephrogenic: defect in the kidney tubules that interferes with water reabsorption d/t inability to respond to ADH.
  • -meds
  • -sjogrens syndrome

Wheres the Na??
-elevated plasma sodium with an inability to concentrate the urine (very watery)

Sx:

  • intense thirst
  • polydipsia
  • craving for ice water
  • polyuria (4-12L)
  • nocturia
  • enuresis
  • hypernatremia
  • dehydration: loss of water through urine is not compensated, cant bring the water back in through the convuluted tubules.
19
Q

Diabetes Insipidus

  • Work up
  • Tx
A
  • CMP
  • Plasma osmolality
  • Plasma ADH
  • Urine Na and osmolality
  • Water deprivation test (serum Na will continue to increase and urine Na will still be low)
  • DDAVP (synthetic replacement for ADH, the hormone that reduces urine production) **urine Na should increase if central Diabetes insipidus, b/c its less watery.

Tx;
-DDAVP**(best treatment)
-Nephrogenic: Hydrochlorothiazide
Block reabsorption of Na in the kidneys to keep the plasma sodium down some.

Endocrine (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions