Chapter 24 Endocrine Emergencies

Question 1

What is an addisonian crisis?

Answer 1

Acute adrenal insufficiency.

Question 2

What is adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)?

Answer 2

Hormone that stimulates the adrenal cortex to manufacture and secrete cortisol (a glucocorticoid).

Question 3

What is aldosterone?

Answer 3

Hormone that stimulates the kidneys to reabsorb sodium from the urine and excrete potassium by altering the osmotic gradient in the blood.

Question 4

What are androgens?

Answer 4

Male sex hormones that regulate body changes associated with sexual development (puberty), including growth spurts, deepening of the voice, growth of facial and pubic hair, and muscle growth and strength.

Question 5

What is antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?

Answer 5

Hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary lobe of the pituitary gland that constricts blood vessels and raises the blood pressure; also called vasopressin

Question 6

What is calcitonin?

Answer 6

Hormone secreted by the thyroid gland that helps maintain normal calcium levels in the blood.

Question 7

What are corticosteroids?

Answer 7

Hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism, the balance of salt and water in the body, the immune system, and sexual function.

Question 8

What is cortisol?

Answer 8

Hormone that stimulates most body cells to increase their energy production.

Question 9

What is Cushing syndrome?

Answer 9

A condition caused by overproduction of cortisol by the adrenal glands or by excessive use of cortisol or other similar corticosteroid (glucocorticoid) hormones.

Question 10

What is diabetes?

Answer 10

A group of complex metabolic disorders with many causes; includes diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes, hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome.

Question 11

What is diabetes insipidus (DI)?

Answer 11

A relatively uncommon disorder that has some of the same characteristics as diabetes, such as polyuria and polydipsia, in which the body is unable to regulate fluid owing to a lack of antidiuretic hormone (central diabetes insipidus) or the kidneys are unable to respond appropriately (nephrogenic diabetes insipidus).

Question 12

What is diabetes mellitus?

Answer 12

Disease characterized by the body’s inability to sufficiently metabolize glucose; occurs either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or because the cells do not respond to the effects of the insulin that is produced.

Question 13

What is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)?

Answer 13

A form of acidosis in uncontrolled diabetes in which certain acids accumulate when insulin is not available.

Question 14

What is diuresis?

Answer 14

The production of large amounts of urine by the kidney.

Question 15

What is dyslipidemia?

Answer 15

An excessive level of lipids (fats) circulating in the blood, which increases the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.

Question 16

What is epinephrine?

Answer 16

Hormone produced by the adrenal medulla that plays a vital role in the function of the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 17

What is estrogen?

Answer 17

A primary female hormone that brings about secondary sex characteristics at puberty.

Question 18

What is exophthalmos?

Answer 18

Protrusion of the eyes from the normal position within the socket.

Question 19

What is gestational diabetes?

Answer 19

Diabetes that develops during pregnancy in women who did not have diabetes before pregnancy.

Question 20

What is glucagon?

Answer 20

Hormone produced by the pancreas that is vital to the control of the body’s metabolism and blood glucose level. Glucagon stimulates the breakdown of glycogen to glucose.

Question 21

What is glycosuria?

Answer 21

The passage of large quantities of urine containing glucose.

Question 22

What is a goiter?

Answer 22

A visible mass in the anterior part of the neck caused by enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Question 23

What is Graves disease?

Answer 23

An autoimmune disorder that causes thyroid gland hypertrophy and severe hyperthyroidism.

Question 24

What is Hashimoto disease?

Answer 24

A type of hyperthyroidism in which the thyroid gland becomes enlarged as it is infiltrated by lymphocytes and plasma cells.

Question 25

What is hyperglycemia?

Answer 25

Abnormally high blood glucose level.

Question 26

What is hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome (HHNS)?

Answer 26

A metabolic derangement that occurs principally in patients with type 2 diabetes; it is characterized by hyperglycemia, hyperosmolarity, and an absence of significant ketosis. Formerly known as hyperosmolar nonketotic coma (HONK).

Question 27

What is hypoglycemia?

Answer 27

Abnormally low blood glucose level.

Question 28

What is insulin?

Answer 28

Hormone produced by the pancreas that is vital to the control of the body's metabolism and blood glucose level; it causes sugar, fatty acids, and amino acids to be absorbed and metabolized by cells.

Question 29

What is insulin resistance?

Answer 29

Condition in which the pancreas produces enough insulin but the body cannot effectively use it.

Question 30

What are the islets of Langerhans?

Answer 30

A specialized group of cells within the pancreas that act like an organ within an organ, secreting glucagon from alpha cells, insulin from beta cells, and somatostatin from delta cells.

Question 31

What is ketonemia?

Answer 31

Excess amounts of ketone bodies in the blood.

Question 32

What is lipolysis?

Answer 32

The metabolism (breakdown or destruction) of stored fat that has been released into the circulation.

Question 33

What is luteinizing hormone (LH)?

Answer 33

Hormone that regulates the production of both eggs and sperm, as well as production of reproductive hormones.

Question 34

What is microangiopathy?

Answer 34

Microscopic deterioration of vessel walls caused primarily by adherence of blood lipids to vessel walls.

Question 35

What is myxedema coma?

Answer 35

A rare condition that can occur in patients who have severe, untreated hypothyroidism.

Question 36

What is norepinephrine?

Answer 36

Hormone produced by the adrenal glands that is vital in the function of the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 37

What is panhypopituitarism?

Answer 37

Inadequate production or absence of the pituitary hormones, including adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, thyroxine, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone, and antidiuretic hormone.

Question 38

What is parathyroid hormone?

Answer 38

A hormone secreted by the parathyroids that acts as an antagonist to calcitonin; secreted when calcium blood levels are low.

Question 39

What is pheochromocytoma?

Answer 39

A tumor of the adrenal gland, usually in the medulla, that causes excessive release of the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Question 40

What is polydipsia?

Answer 40

Significant thirst.

Question 41

What is polyphagia?

Answer 41

Increased appetite.

Question 42

What is polyuria?

Answer 42

Frequent and plentiful urination.

Question 43

What is prediabetes?

Answer 43

A condition identified in people who have certain risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes; exists when blood glucose levels or hemoglobin A1c levels are higher than normal, yet not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

Question 44

What is pretibial myxedema?

Answer 44

An 'orange peel' appearance and nonpitting edema of the skin on the anterior part of the leg below the knee.

Question 45

What is primary adrenal insufficiency?

Answer 45

A rare disease in which the adrenal glands atrophy or are destroyed, leading to deficiencies of all steroid hormones produced by these glands; also known as Addison disease.

Question 46

What is progesterone?

Answer 46

A primary female hormone that assists in the regulation of the menstrual cycle.

Question 47

What is secondary adrenal insufficiency?

Answer 47

A relatively common condition characterized by a lack of adrenocorticotropic hormone (also called corticotrophin) secretion from the pituitary gland.

Question 48

What is somatostatin?

Answer 48

Hormone that inhibits insulin and glucagon secretion by the pancreas.

Question 49

What is syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)?

Answer 49

An endocrine disorder in which an excess of antidiuretic hormone results in decreased urinary output and, in turn, systemic fluid overload.

Question 50

What is testosterone?

Answer 50

An androgen in men that promotes healthy sperm production, determines secondary male sex characteristics such as hair production, and stimulates growth.

Question 51

What is thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)?

Answer 51

Hormone that controls the release of thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland.

Question 52

What is thyroid storm?

Answer 52

A rare, life-threatening condition that may occur in patients with thyrotoxicosis; usually triggered by a stressful event of increased volume of thyroid hormones in the circulation.

Question 53

What is thyrotoxicosis?

Answer 53

A toxic condition caused by excessive levels of circulating thyroid hormone.

Question 54

What is thyroxine (T4)?

Answer 54

The body's major metabolic hormone. Thyroxine stimulates energy production in cells, which increases the rate at which the cells consume oxygen and use carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Question 55

What is type 1 diabetes?

Answer 55

The type of diabetic disease that usually starts in childhood and requires daily injections of supplemental synthetic insulin to control blood glucose levels; formerly called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes.

Question 56

What is type 2 diabetes?

Answer 56

The type of diabetic disease that typically develops in middle-age adult patients and often can be controlled through diet and oral medications; formerly called adult-onset diabetes.