The pituitary gland produces several important hormones that control body functions such as growth, development, reproduction, and metabolism. One of these hormones is growth Hormone (GH). In childhood, GH is important for proper development and growth. In adults GH maintains healthy bone and muscle function. If there is not enough growth hormone, a child will not grow to his potential stature. If there is too much growth hormone a child will grow excessively tall. If there is an excess of growth hormone in an adult, there are a number of physical symptoms which together define the condition, Acromegaly. Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder affecting about 60 people per 1 million. It was first described in 1886 by Pierre Marie, a French neurologist.
…show more content…
In an epidemiological study done on Acromegaly in Spain between 1970 and 1989 found Acromegaly occurred slightly more in women with 48 cases and 26 cases in males. Another study also claims a slight increase in acromegaly affecting 266 women with only 234 males. Compression of surrounding normal pituitary tissue can affect males and females differently causing shifts in production of other hormones. In women these hormonal alterations can lead to changes in menstruation and breast discharge while in men it cause erectile dysfunction. There are several co-morbidities that Acromegaly puts patients increasingly at risk for developing before diagnosis. 20-56 % of patients experience Diabetes Mellitus. While 20-44% develop Hypertriglyceridemia. The excessive levels of GH or IGF-I result in cardiac enlargement with left ventricular hypertrophy. Untreated prolonged disease cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure can develop. Other cardiovascular issues include hypertension, arrhythmias and increased prevalence of vascular disease; thirty percent had aortic regurgitation with five percent experiencing mitral …show more content…
They are medical therapy, radiation therapy, and surgical removal of the tumor. The surgical procedure called transsphenoidal surgery is usually the first option recommended because it is a rapid and effective treatment. This is because although with many surgeries there is some risks with the transsphenoidal surgery it is minimally invasive and uses an endoscopic approach with computer guided imagery or even the advanced multimodality image guided operating (AMIGO). Normalization of GH levels following surgery occurs in 70 percent of micro-adenomas and 50 percent of macro adenomas. Remission depends on the initial size of the tumor. Micro-adenomas have a remission rate of about 80 to 85 percent while remission rates of macro-adenomas are less at around fifty to 65 percent. Medications are used when surgery is unable to cure Acromegaly. There are three classes of medications or agonists that treat Acromegaly. An Agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor of a cell and triggers a response by the cell, mimicking the action of a naturally occurring substance. The Somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLS), such as octreotide, lanreotide, and Somtuline depot shut off GH production and are effective in lowering GH and IGF-I levels for 50 to 70 percent of
In an epidemiological study done on Acromegaly in Spain between 1970 and 1989 found Acromegaly occurred slightly more in women with 48 cases and 26 cases in males. Another study also claims a slight increase in acromegaly affecting 266 women with only 234 males. Compression of surrounding normal pituitary tissue can affect males and females differently causing shifts in production of other hormones. In women these hormonal alterations can lead to changes in menstruation and breast discharge while in men it cause erectile dysfunction. There are several co-morbidities that Acromegaly puts patients increasingly at risk for developing before diagnosis. 20-56 % of patients experience Diabetes Mellitus. While 20-44% develop Hypertriglyceridemia. The excessive levels of GH or IGF-I result in cardiac enlargement with left ventricular hypertrophy. Untreated prolonged disease cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure can develop. Other cardiovascular issues include hypertension, arrhythmias and increased prevalence of vascular disease; thirty percent had aortic regurgitation with five percent experiencing mitral …show more content…
They are medical therapy, radiation therapy, and surgical removal of the tumor. The surgical procedure called transsphenoidal surgery is usually the first option recommended because it is a rapid and effective treatment. This is because although with many surgeries there is some risks with the transsphenoidal surgery it is minimally invasive and uses an endoscopic approach with computer guided imagery or even the advanced multimodality image guided operating (AMIGO). Normalization of GH levels following surgery occurs in 70 percent of micro-adenomas and 50 percent of macro adenomas. Remission depends on the initial size of the tumor. Micro-adenomas have a remission rate of about 80 to 85 percent while remission rates of macro-adenomas are less at around fifty to 65 percent. Medications are used when surgery is unable to cure Acromegaly. There are three classes of medications or agonists that treat Acromegaly. An Agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor of a cell and triggers a response by the cell, mimicking the action of a naturally occurring substance. The Somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLS), such as octreotide, lanreotide, and Somtuline depot shut off GH production and are effective in lowering GH and IGF-I levels for 50 to 70 percent of