Week 3 Endocrine Lectures Flashcards
What does prolactin do?
Stimulates lactation
Where is prolactin secreted?
Lactotrophs in the anterior pituitary
What does Hyperprolactinemia lead to?
hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
What is hypogonadotropic hypogonadism?
a form of hypogonadism that is due to a problem with the pituitary gland or hypothalamus
What can any drug that interferes with dopamine action cause?
Hyperprolactinemia
What drugs can affect dopamine action (and therefor can cause hyperprolactinemia)
- Antipsychotics – typical and atypical
- Antiemetics – metoclopramide, domperidone
- Antidepressants – SSRIs, MOA-I, TCA
- Opiates
- H2 receptor antagonists
What is a prolactinoma?
The commonest functioning pituitary tumour
- Microprolactinoma <1cm
- Macroprolactinoma >1cm
What is the medical treatment of a prolactinoma?
Dopamine (D2) agonists
- Cabergoline – long half life, once/twice weekly dosing
• Quinagolide
• Bromocriptine – short half life
What is vasopressin (ADH)?
A peptide hormone secreted from the posterior pituitary
When is vasopressin (ADH) released?
In response to low plasma volume/increased serum osmolality
When does Diabetes insipidus occur?
When ADH no longer secreted (cranial) or kidneys unresponsive (nephrogenic)
What are the effects of vasopressin (ADH)?
V1 receptors - in vascular smooth muscle —> vasoconstriction
V2 receptors - in distal tubule –> aquaporin channels reabsorb water
What is the synthetic analogue of vasopressin (ADH)?
Desmopressin (DDAVP)
What is the effects of desmopressin?
It is a synthetic analogue of vasopressin (ADH) without the vasoconstrictor effects and has a longer half life
What is desmopressin used for?
Maintenance therapy for cranial diabetes insipidus.
When is desmopressin usually prescribed for?
It is usually prescribed for morning and evening so people aren’t up through the night for the toilet
What causes acromegaly?
Excess secretion of growth hormones stimulating IGF-1 due to pituitary adenoma
What are the different manifestations of a pituitary adenoma?
If the long bones have fused then acromegaly
If long bones have not fused gigantism
What is acromegaly?
Lots of soft tissue growth
What are the treatment options for a pituitary adenoma?
surgery, medical and radiotherapy (if surgery hasn’t been successful radiotherapy on pituitary gland)
What are medical therapies for acromegaly?
Treatment aims to normalise IGF-1 (combination therapy may be required)
- Somatostatin analogues
- Dopamine agonist
- GH receptor antagonist
How are somatostatin analogues used?
- short or long acting (short needs to be given multiple times a day, long just once a month)
- Injection - subcut, IM or IV
What are potential side effects of somatostatin analogues?
- Gallstones
What do GH receptor antagonists do?
Block GH action at the receptor but do not decrease GH secretion
When would GH replacement therapy be required in paediatrics?
- Short stature
- Isolated GH deficiency
- Panhypopituitarism
What is Panhypopituitarism
a condition of inadequate or absent production of the anterior pituitary hormones
When would GH replacement therapy be required in adults?
- GH deficiency following pituitary insult
- Late effects of cancer treatment
- Performance enhancing effects
Describe the negative feedback loop of the thyroid gland?
Hypothalamus releases TRH –> acts on the pituitary causing it to release TSH –> acts on the thyroid causing the release of T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine)
What is levothyroxine metabolised to?
triiodothyronine (T3)
What do Thionamides do?
Cause reduced thyroid hormone synthesis:
- Inhibit iodide oxidation
- Inhibit iodination of tyrosine
- Inhibit coupling of iodotyrosines
What are examples of Thionamides?
Carbimazole and propylthiouracil (PTU)
What are other treatments (not Thionamides) for hyperthyroidism?
- Betablockers - propranolol
- Potassium iodide
- Radioactive iodine
Why are betablockers used to treat hyperthyroidism?
Reduce symptoms if sympathetic overactivity, do not affect hormone levels
Why is potassium iodide used to treat hyperthyroidism?
Reduces thyroid hormone release acutely, used in thyroid storm and pre-operatively
How do Sulphonylureas work?
Bind to receptor on beta cells, inhibit KATP channels and permit increased insulin secretion
How do Thiazolidinediones work?
pioglitazone, rosiglitazone
- PPARγ agonists – increase transcription of insulin senstising genes
- PPARγ is a nuclear receptor expressed in adipose tissue, muscle, liver
What are the actions of insulin on the liver?
- Decrease gluconeogenesis
2. Increase glycogen synthesis
What are the actions of insulin on skeletal muscle?
- Increased glucose transport via GLUT 4
2. Increase glycogen synthesis
What are the effects of insulin on adipose tissue?
- Increased glucose transport via GLUT 4
2. Increase lipogenesis and decrease lipolysis
How are glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid release controlled?
The hypothalamus releases CRH —> acts on the pituitary causing it to release ACTH —> acts on the adrenal gland causing it to release cortisol
How do steroid hormones travel through the body?
Bound to proteins in circulation (cortisol binding globulin)
What are the systemic effects of glucocorticoids?
- anti-inflammatory by inhibiting transcription of genes for pro-inflammatory cytokines
- Reduced T-lymphocytes
- Counter-regulatory metabolic effects – gluconeogenesis, increase adiposity
- Improve alertness (circadian rhythm)
- Mineralocorticoid effect
What is aldosterone?
A mineralocorticoid that is stimulated by angiotensin II, ACTH and potassium
What is the main action of aldosterone?
on Na/K pump—>sodium and water reabsorption, loss of potassium
Why can aldosterone not be given orally?
It is metabolised in the liver
What can mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists be used for?
Primary aldosteronism, heart failure, hypertension
What are bisphosphonates used to treat?
Osteoporosis, Paget’s disease, metastatic bone disease
What is the effect of bisphosphonates?
Reduce bone resorption. They bind to bone and inhibit osteoclast activity
What are examples of bisphosphonates?
Alendronate, pamidronate, zolendronate, risedronate
What are examples of other (not bisphosphonates) treatments of osteoporosis?
- Calcium + vit. D - Essential for bone formation
- Denosumab
- Teriparatide
- Strontium ranelate
- HRT
- SERMS
How does denosumab treat osteoporosis?
monoclonal antibody that inhibits RANK ligand which signals to osteoclasts, therefore reduces resorption
How does teriparatide treat osteoporosis?
recombinant parathyroid hormone, binds to osteoblasts to increase bone formation
How does Strontium ranelate treat osteoporosis?
stimulates osteoblasts and inhibits osteoclasts
Why is HRT used in osteoporosis?
used for menopause related bone loss
How do SERMs treat osteoporosis?
bind to oestrogen receptor and decreases bone resorption