Endocrine Disorders

What is the endocrine system made up of?

-endocrine glands and hormones
-substances released into blood stream

Control systems of body

-nervous system =fast acting
-endocrine system =slow acting
-linked with immune system

What are hormones?

-chemical messengers
-initiate pre-programmed responses in target cells
-on switch that tells cell to carry out response

What are actions of hormones?

1-released by gland/cell
2-circulated in blood stream
3-reach target cell
4-specific action

Hormone action

-must bind with receptors on target cells
-surface or intracellular
-type specific to hormone

What is the reaction time of hormones?

-milliseconds to days

Target cell response varies on what factors?

-number of receptors
-affinity of receptors

Control of hormone levels vary according to?

-diurnal fluctuations (sleep-wake cycle)
-complex cycles (menstrual, pregnancy)
-feedback mechanisms (primarily negative)

Control of hormone output can be in response to?

-levels of substances in blood
-neural stimulus (nerves tell it to)
-hormone stimulus (signal other hormones)

Functions of hypothalamus?

-many functions
-thermostat
-hunger
-rage
-endocrine fxns
-behavior
-ANS

Endocrine fxn of hypothalamus

-receive input from multiple sources
-communication with pituitary gland
-releasing factors/hormones
-inhibiting factors/hormones

Pituitary gland

-Master gland
-many hormones, many target cells/tissues
-some directly affect target cell
-others are trophic hormones, which means they signal release of other hormones

What is Growth hormone responsible for?

-bone & mm. growth
-protein synthesis
-fatty acid mobilization
-growth of visceral & endocrine organs, connective tissue
-highest at puberty

Antidiuretic hormone

-ADH
-acts on kidney
-retains body water level

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

-TSH
-trophic hormone affecting thyroid gland

Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone

-ACTH
-trophic hormone affecting adrenal cortex

What is the Hypothalamus-pituitary interaction?

-connection between nervous & endocrine system
-explains how things like emotion, stress & even conscious thought can have an effect on our health
-psychoneuroimmunology

What thyroid hormones are concerned with?

-T3 & T4

What are T3 & T4 responsible for?

-increased metabolic rate
-protein synthesis
-normal growth & development of NS in children

Feedback Look of thyroid gland

hypothalamus>
pituitary>
TSH>
thyroid>
T3 & T4>
back to hypothalamus

Parathyroid hormone

-PTH
-attached to thyroid but not related

What does the PTH do?

-regulate (increase) blood calcium level

Roles of calcium

-mineralization of bone
-normal nerve conduction, mm. contraction

Thymus gland

-thymosin+=hormone that stimulates maturation of T-lymphocytes
-just above the heart

Adrenal glands

-2 components:
adrenal cortex
adrenal medulla
-on top of each kidney

Adrenal cortex

-mineralocorticoids
-glucocorticoids
-sex hormones

Mineralocorticoids

-aldosterone
-sodium & H2O absorption, potassium excretion

Glucocorticoids

-cortisol
-natural, very potent
-anti inflammation
-raises blood glucose
-affects metabolism of all nutrients

Sex hormones

-androgens (DHEA & androstenedione> converted to testosterone & dihydrotestosterone peripherally)

Adrenal Medulla

-epinephrine & norepinephrine
-neurotransmitters for SNS
-fight or flight

Ovaries

-sex hormones
-estrogen
-progestrone

Testes

-sex hormone
-androgens (mainly testosterone)

Erythropoietin

-hormone that signals bone marrow

Genetic testing

-affected individual, family
-imaging like radioscope

How can endocrine disorders affect body fxn?

-growth & development
-metabolism
-fluid & electrolyte balance
-sexual fxn

2 Categories of Endocrine disorders

-Hypofunction = too little
-Hyperfunction = too much

Endocrine Hypofunction

-most common -aging
-congenital defect -drug therapy
-disrupted bloodflow -receptor deficit
-infection -idiopathic
-inflammation
-autoimmune
-tumor growth

Endocrine hyperfunction

-excessive stimulation
-hyperplasia or hormone-producing tumor

Endocrine disorders divided into 3 groups

-primary
-secondary
-tertiary

Primary endocrine disorder

-defect originates in gland

Secondary endocrine disorder

-at pituitary gland
-defect in level of stimulating hormone or releasing factor

Tertiary endocrine disorder

-dysfunction of hypothalamus
-both pituitary and target organ understimulated

Pituitary disorders

-remember pituitary is "Master Gland"
-disorders can affect one or more hormones
-hypofxn more common than hyperfxn

ADH

-pituitary disorder
-antidiuretic =retaining water
-hypersecretion =produce to much causing hypervolemia
-hyposecretion =dehydrated

Growth hormone

-GH
-for normal growth & maturation

GH deficiency in children

-dwarfism

Other causes of short stature?

-variants of normal
-intrauterine growth retardation (born small)
-psychosocial (neglect)
-chronic illness & malnutrition
-chromosomal disorder
-skeletal abnormalities

What is the rx for GH deficiency?

-give growth hormone

2 categories of GH excess in adults

-present during childhood
-developed during adulthood

GH excess in children

-gigantism
-variants of normal
-endocrine causes
-genetic/chromosomal disorder

Acromegaly

-in adults
-after ephiphyses of long bones have closed
-bones grow larger and thicker
-hands, feet, face, skull
-many other effects t/out body
-andre the giant

Normal roles of T3 and T4

-regulating bodies
-metabolic rate

Hyperthyroidism

-increased metabolic rate in almost all body tissues
-most notable: Cardiovascular fxn, GI fxn and Neuromuscular fxn

Hyperthyroidism & cardiovascular fxn

-increased ventilation, HR, blood volume, cardiac output
-vasodilation
-feel hot all the time

Hyperthyroidism & GI fxn

-increased appetite
-wt loss
-increased intestinal motility, diarrhea
-too skinny

Hyperthyroidism & Neuromuscular fxn

-fine mm. tremor
-restlessness, nervousness, anxiety, trouble sleeping
-sweating

Causes of Hyperthyroidism?

-hyperactive thyroid gland
-graves disease
-goiter
-pituitary or thyroid tumor

Graves disease

-ceased to exist in U.S.
-autoimmune
-thyroid stimulation via thyroid-stimulating antibodies
-goiter
-bug eyes because build up of fluid behind eyes

Thyroid crisis/storm

-rare but life-threatening complication of hyperthyroidism
-very high fever
-extreme cardiovascular & CNS effects

Hypothyroidism

-more common
-decrease in metabolic rate
-congenital
-inflammation
-autoimmune disease
-disorder of hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid
-radiation at or near thyroid which is a rx for hyperthyroidism

Hypothyroidism & cardiovascular fxn

-decreased ventilation, HR, blood volume, cardiac output

Hypothyroidism & GI fxn

-decreased appetite
-wt gain
-decreased intestinal motility (constipation)
-not hungry, eat like birds and still gain wt

Hypothyroidism & neuromuscular fxn

-sluggish mental & physical fxn
-somnolence (sleepy)
-cold all the time and require lots of sleep

Myxedema

-non-pitting edema
-puffy face

Congenital hypothyroidism-
Cretinism

-in kids
-can cause permanent mental and growth retardation if not dx'd and rx'd

Rx for hypothyroidism

-give thyroid hormone

Rx for hyperthyroidism

-suppression of thyroid fxn

Parathyroid

-PTH

Role of PTH

-regulate blood calcium
-maintain (elevates) normal blood calcium

Role of calcium

-mineralization of bone
-normal nerve conduction, mm. contraction

What does hyperparathyroidism do to blood calcium levels?

-elevates it, resulting in abnl nerve conduction, mm. contraction and demineralization of bone
-kidney stones

What does hypoparathyroidism do to blood calcium levels?

-decreases it, resulting in abnl nerve conduction, mm. contractions
-hyperactive nerve & mm. fxn

Adrenal cortex hyperfunction

-more common than hypofunction
-Cushing syndrome =too much being produced

Causes of Adrenal cortex hyperfunction

-pituitary
-adrenal
-non-pituitary ACTH-secreting tumor
-iatrogenic =long term steroid therapy

Cushing syndrome manifestations

-musculoskeletal, integumentary, inflammatory/immune, fluid & electrolyte, metabolic, psychologic disturbances
-moon face
-buffalo hump
-increased facial hair in women

Addison's disease

-relatively rare

Etiologies of Addisons disease

-autoimmune
-secondary insufficiency due to pituitary or hypothalamic
disorder
-withdrawal of steroid rx
-destroying adrenal cortex

Manifestations of Addisons disease

-hypoglycemia
-hypotension
-dehydration
-electrolyte imbalance
-hyperpigmentation of skin (JFK)
-sparce body hair in women

Rx for Addisons disease

-lifelong replacement therapy
-steroids
-DHEA for women

Endocrine disorders and PT implications

-refer medical workup if:
abnl height
sexual maturity
hair growth or loss
abnl sexual fxn
menstruation
unexplained wt change
change in appetite or thirst
increase/decrease in metabolic rate of CV, GI or neuromuscular
-reflexes, tone, sensation, tremors,cr