Disorders of the Endocrine System Flashcards
What is the endocrine system?
interacts closely with nerves system and immune system to regulate all body functions
What does the endocrine system regulate?
all body processes including HR, BP, and elasticity of blood vessels.
What else does the endocrine system control?
-metabolism of water and nutrients
-controls physical growth and sexual development
-influence emotions
What are the endocrine glands?
-pituitary
-thyroid
-parathyroids
-adrenals: medulla and cortex
-pancreas
-ovaries
-testes
What are the characteristics of endocrine glands?
-ductless glands: release hormones directly into blood not through ducts
-glands are highly vascular
What do hormones do in endocrine organs?
production and secretion
What is target tissue?
-when some hormones effect a specific site
-when other hormones effect multiple sites
Why are hormones produced in endocrine glands?
to help regulate cellular and/ or chemical reactions that involve all bodily functions
What are hormones released by?
signals from the nervous system, in response to hormone level changes
How do hormones know where to go?
it has its own receptor and will communicate only with specific target cells
What do hormone disorders involve?
either hypo secretion or hyper secretion of a hormone
Why do nurses require general knowledge of hormones?
we administer drugs to replace or inhibit hormones and provide client education
Hormones are produced and/ or released by endocrine organs in response to what?
a signal from the nervous system when a hormone level in the blood is too HIGH or too low
How does an endocrine hormone released?
-it is releases from the organ directly in the blood, not through a duct
-travels in blood and may not reach all cells although most have designated target cells, organ, or tissue
How can hormones be produced by neoplasms (tumors)?
-specific lung tumor produces ADH
-thyroid tumor produces thyroid hormone
Hyperfunction- Endocrine Problems
-excess hormone produced
-excessive gland stimulation and enlargement from autoimmune disorder
-gland tumor that produces hormone
-tumor outside a gland that produces hormones
-idiopathic
Hypofunction- Endocrine Problems
-congenital absence or defect of gland or enzyme needed for gland to produce hormone
-gland damage or destroyed by ischemia, infarctions, infection, inflammation or tumor
-gland atrophy that doesn’t produce hormone
-autoimmune disorder
-surgical removal
-hormone receptor deficits
What are the functions of the hypothalamus?
-connects between endocrine and nervous system
-controls secretion of posterior pituitary hormones
-secrete releasing and inhibitory factor hormone that regulate anterior pituitary activities
Why does the anterior pituitary act on target tissues or organs?
to stimulate the production of other hormones
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
-maintains homeostasis
-regulates temperature, heart rate, blood pressure
-governs emotional behaviors
-secretes hormones that act on pituitary gland
What does Syndrome of Inappropriate ADH look like?
-ADH EXCESS
-kidney tubules absorb more water resulting in fluid volume excess
-decreased serum osmolality
-concentrated urine
-hyponatremia
-hypertension
-weight gain
What does Diabetes Insipidus (DI) look like?
-ADH deficiency
-kidney doesn’t reabsorb usual water resulting in fluid volume deficit
-increased serum osmolality
-large volume urine output
-hypernatremia
-hypotension
-weight loss
-possible shock due to decreased circulating volume
What are the functions of the thyroid glands?
-regulates all aspects of metabolism
-nutrient metabolism
-temp
-growth and maturation
-blood vessel elasticity
What is the role of thyroid stimulating hormone?
-stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3) into the blood for transport to target tissues
