Western Lab Endocrine System Week 7 Flashcards
(32 cards)
- Endocrine System is only misbehave in hyper function or hypo function?
True or False
- True
E.g. your thyroid gland is working too much or too little.
hypo or hyper function of any endocrine of the body
- Major endocrine organs in the body are?
Name them
- a. Thyroid gland
b. Parathyroid glands
c. Adrenal glands
d. Pancreas
e. Pituitary gland
f. Ovaries
g. Testis
h. Pineal gland
i. Thymus gland
- Thyroid functions are:
located on the trachea under the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage. Joined by the bridge like tissue (Isthmus).
T3 & T4 targets every cells within your body to control & regulate the rate of metabolism.
If over functioning, you rapid metabolism, you start loosing weight.
If under functioning, rate of metabolism goes down, You will be slow, sluggish, putting weight
- Thyroids hormones T3, T4 (increase metabolism), Calcitonin (decreases blood calcium) affect metabolism, brain development, breathing, heart and nervous system functions, body temperature, muscle strength, skin dryness, menstrual cycles, weight and cholesterol levels.
Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It is one of your endocrine glands, which make hormones. Thyroid hormones control the rate of many activities in your body. These include how fast you burn calories and how fast your heart beats. All of these activities are your body’s metabolism.
- Thyroid problems are:
Calcitonin hormones: move calcium from blood into your bones. A calcium regulator.
Understand the negative feedback loop.
Thyroid hormone production is regulated by TSH (made by the pituitary gland in the brain).
When thyroid hormone level in the blood stream is low, the pituitary gland releases more TSH.
When T3 and T4 levels are high, the pituitary gland responds by decreaing TSH hormones
- Goiter - enlargement of the thyroid gland
Hyperthyroidism - Increased level of T3 and T4. when your thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs. Most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Grave’s diseases (thin, hot, nervous patient w/poopy eyes and a goitre or a swelling of the neck and protrusion of the eyes resulting from an overactive thyroid gland).
Hypothyroidism (aka myxedema) - Decreased level of T3 and T4. when your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormones. Most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Cretism (congenital hypothyroidism). All babies must be tested for this disease. Most important sns (little of no growth, large fontanel w/soft spot)
Thyroid tests are:
1st test TSH
if TSH is high (hypothyroidism), then test T4 to confirm
if TSH is low (hyperthyroidism), the test T3 to confirm
- Blood tests for your thyroid include
1st TSH - measures thyroid-stimulating hormone. It is the most accurate measure of thyroid activity.
2nd if T3 and T4 - measure different thyroid hormones.
TSI - measures thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin.
Antithyroid antibody test - measures antibodies (markers in the blood).
- Parathyroid glands functions are:
- Make hormones to control the level of calcium.
Most people have four pea-sized glands, called parathyroid glands, on the thyroid gland in the neck. Though their names are similar, the thyroid and parathyroid glands are completely different. The parathyroid glands make parathyroid hormone (PTH), which helps your body keep the right balance of calcium and phosphorous.
- Parathyroid glands problems are:
- a. Hypoparathyroidism
b. Primary Hyperparathyroidism
- Thymus gland functions are:
- Thymus is located behind the heart, it hormones to train and educate lymphocytes, so that they make antibodies.
- Adrenal glands functions are:
www. endocrineweb.com
When you think of the adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands), stress might come to mind. And rightly so—the adrenal glands are arguably best known for secreting the hormone adrenaline, which rapidly prepares your body to spring into action in a stressful situation.
But the adrenal glands contribute to your health even at times when your body isn’t under extreme stress. In fact, they release hormones that are essential for you to live.
- sitting on top of you kidneys, cortex makes one set of hormones. Two individual endocrine behaviors in one (cortex
The adrenal cortex: the outer part of the gland - produces hormones that are vital to life, such as cortisol (which helps regulate metabolism and helps your body respond to stress) and aldosterone (which helps control blood pressure).
The adrenal medulla: the inner part of the gland - produces nonessential (that is, you don’t need them to live) hormones, such as adrenaline (which helps your body react to stress).
- Adrenal glands disorders are:
- With adrenal gland disorders, your glands make too much or not enough hormones. In Cushing’s syndrome, there’s too much cortisol, while with Addison’s disease, there is too little. Some people are born unable to make enough cortisol.
- Pancreas functions are:
about 6 inches long and sits across the back of the abdomen, behind the ST. The head of the pancreas is on the right side of the abdomen and is connected to the duodenum (first section of SI) thru a small tube (pancreatic duct. The narrow end of the pancreas (tail) extends to the left side of the body
- It is both endocrine and exocrine.
Exocrine GI functions (serum lipase)
Endocrine: a. insulin (lowers blood sugar level, glucose to glycogen). b. Glucagon (raise blood sugar level, glycogen to glucose).
- Pancreas endocrine related disorders
Gestational diabetes: a condition char by high blood sugar (glucose) levels that is first recognized during pregnancy.
- Insulin Hypo-secretion (diabetes mellitus)
Type I diabetes: the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the pancreas’ insulin-producing cells. Requires lifelong insulin injection to control blood sugar.
Type II diabetes: The pancreas loses the ability to appropriately produce and release insulin. The body also becomes resistant to insulin, and blood sugar rises.
- Pancreas endocrine disorder lab test 1: FBS
- Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) test and casual/random blood sugar test. It is a direct measure of blood glucose level and is used in the evaluation of diabetic patients.
Increased level: Diabetes mellitus (DM), acute stress response, diuretic therapy, steroid therapy.
Decreased level: Overdose of insulin, starvation and extensive liver disease.
- Pancreas endocrine disorder lab test 2: PPG
- 2-hour PPG (Postprandial Glucose)
a. if more than 7.8 mmol/L but less than 11 mmol/L a glucose tolerance test is warranted to confirm the diagnosis of DM
b. if more than 11 mmol/L the diagnosis of DM is ruled in
c. if it is less than 7.8 mmol/L the diagnosis of DM is ruled out.
1-hour glucose screen (to detect gestational diabetes). done btw 24-28 weeks of gestation. done earlier if high risk like previous Hx of GD (grave’s disease?)
- Pancreas endocrine disorder lab test 3: GTT
- Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Indications: This test is used in the evaluation of DM. Patient with family history, massive obesity, history of recurrent infections, delayed healing of wounds, women with history of stillbirths or giving birth to large babies, patient with elevated glucose levels during stress.
Healthy: glucose concentration returns to normal after approx. 3 hours
- Pancreas endocrine disorder (DM) lab test 4: HbA1C (Glycosylated Hemoglobin).
Pancreas (islet cells) produce a. insulin, b. glucagon. Insulin Hyposecretion (DM), Type 1, type 2, gestation diabetes
HbA1C test measures the amount of HbA1C in blood. It provides an accurate long-term index of the patient’s average blood glucose levels. It is used to monitor diabetes treatment. It is based upon the fact that more glucose the RBC is exposed to, greater is the amount of glycosylated hemoglobin. A great advantage is that sample can be drawn anytime. Short-term variations like diet, stress, exercise or drugs do not affect it.
- Adrenal glands produce which hormones?
Two glands: 1. Adrenal cortex, 2. Adrenal medulla
Adrenal medulla produces catecholamines and splits into two nephrine hormones: 1. Epinephrine (adrenaline), 2. Norepinephrine (noradrenaline). These responsible for Sympathomimetic.
see Q9 for adrenal glands functions.
Adrenal cortex produces corticosteroids (3 types: 1. Glucocorticoid, 2. Mineralocorticoid, 3. Sex hormones)
Glucocorticoid or cortisol to increase blood glucose
Mineralocorticoid or Aldosterone to increase salt (sodium reabsorption).
Sex hormones: Androgen and Estrogen (sexual characteristics)
- Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal Axis is useful for?
Note: belongs to adrenal glands (blood cortisol and ACTH lab tests)
- The first step in this process occurs in the hypothalamus, which releases a hormone in reaction to stress.
- Releasing hormone stimulates the pituitary gland.
- Pituitary gland then releases ACTH.
- In turn, ACTH stimulates the adrenal gland cortex that releases cortisol.
- Cortisol is responsible for, among other things, slowing the immune system’s inflammatory response, controllingblood pressure, heart functions and increasing blood glucose levels. It also helps to regulate metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
- When cortisol levels are too low, the pituitary secretes the stimulating hormone adrenocorticotropic (ACTH). On the other hand, high levels of cortisol cause the pituitary gland to decrease ACTH secretion, which slows cortisol production.
- Adrenal glands disorders 1
- Cushing syndrome (increase cortisol). Sns: obesity, buffalo hump, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), hypernatremia (high sodium level in blood), hypokalemia (low potassium in blood), osteoporosis, hypertension, rounded or moon shaped face, mild hirsutism (abnormal hair growth)
- Adrenal glands disorder test 1: Cushing Syndrome. Name 4 forms of Cushing syndromes and state their ACTH and Cortisol levels
- Pituitary Cushing Syndrome (ACTH high, Cortisol high)
- Paraneoplastic Cushing Syndrome (ACTH high, Cortisol high)
- Adrenal Cushing Syndrome (ACTH low, Cortisol high)
- IatrogenicCushing Syndrome (ACTH low, Cortisol high)
- Adrenal glands disorder 2:
- Addison Disease (low Cortisol)
Failure to produce adequate levels of cortisol and sometimes aldosterone can occur for different reasons. The problem may be due to: - A disorder of the adrenal glands themselves (primary adrenal insufficiency) usually due to autoimmunity. TB is another important cause of Addison disease.
- Inadequate secretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland (secondary adrenal insufficiency). It is more common than primary adrenal insufficiency.
- Adrenal glands disorder 2: Addison Disease with low aldosterone. Name sns:
- Addison Disease with low aldosterone sns:
Loss of appetite and weightNausea, vomiting or diarrheaMuscle weaknessChronic, worsening fatigueLow blood pressureSalt cravingsDehydration
- Adrenal glands disorder 2: Addison Disease with low cortisol. Name sns:
- Addison Disease with low cortisol sns:
Hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar levels
Irregular or no menstrual periods in womenMood swings, mental confusion or loss of consciousness
- Adrenal glands disorder 2: Addison Disease with high ACTH. Name sns:
- Addison Disease with high ACTH sns:
Increased pigmentation of the skin, particularly around scars and bony areas.These symptoms can develop quickly (especially in children and teenagers), or progress slowly for 20 years or more. Many symptoms can mimic other diseases, so diagnosis can be delayed.
