Essay Endocrine Disease

Submitted By Nina-Cobilla
Words: 531
Pages: 3

Nina Cobilla
3/9/15
rd
3
hour

Endocrine Disorder/Disease Webquest
1. Hypothyroidism
➢ Symptoms: o Coarse or thinning hair o Dry Skin o Brittle nails o A yellowish tint to the skin o Slow body movements o Cold skin o Inability to tolerate cold o Feeling tired, sluggish, or weak o Memory problems, depression, or problems concentrating o Constipation o Heavy or irregular menstruation
➢ Cause: o The number one cause of hypothyroidism worldwide is iodine deficiency. o Thyroid surgery o Radioactive iodine therapy o External beam radiation
➢ Frequency/occurrence: o Pregnant women o Women over 60 o Patients with type 1 diabetes
➢ Tests/diagnosis: o Blood tests are taken to measure your TSH levels
➢ Treatment Options o Daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine
➢ Expected Outcome: o Levothyroxine doses are life long but the amount may change o TSH levels may be tested every year by a doctor.
2. Addison’s Disease
➢ Symptoms:











o Weakness o Fatigue o Weight loss o Abdominal pain o Nausea o Low Blood Pressure o Darkened skin o Craving salt o Dizziness upon standing o Depression
Cause:
o Immune system goes against the Adrenal glands which lead to a deficiency called
Addison’s disease.
Frequency/Occurrence:
o Occurs in all age groups o Both sexes
Tests/diagnosis:
o Blood test: Doctors use blood test to measure amounts of sodium, ACTH, potassium, and cortisol. The information from the tests give doctors the indication of adrenal deficiency in the body. o ACTH stimulation test: Doctors look at cortisol levels before and after being injected with a synthetic ACTH. o Insulin induced hypoglycemia test: watching blood sugar and cortisol levels at various intervals after being injected with insulin. o Imaging tests: These are MRI’s that check the size of a person’s adrenal glands and checks for any abnormalities.
Treatment options: o Oral Corticosteroids o Corticosteroid injections o Androgen
Expected Outcome: o People with Addison’s Disease can live a full, normal life as long as they keep up with their medications and other health needs. o They may have troubles with fatigue and lack of energy