A Simple Guide To Hypopituitarism, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions (A Simple Guide to Medical Conditions)

Chapter 1

Hypopituitarism

What is Hypopituitarism?

Hypopituitarism is a medical disorder in which the pituitary gland does not normally produce usual amounts of some or all of its eight hormones.

Hypopituitarism is due to an inadequate production of hypothalamic-releasing hormones or due to an inability of the pituitary gland to secrete hormones.

Symptoms are dependent on the amount of hormone reduction and the sudden onset.

Hypopituitarism is normally a mixture of eight hormonal deficiencies but rarely affects every pituitary hormone.

Hypopituitarism is typically chronic and lifelong unless successful surgery or medicinal therapy of the underlying condition can restore pituitary function.

What are the causes of Hypopituitarism?

Causes

The pituitary gland is a small organ that is sited just below the brain.

It is joined by a stalk to the hypothalamus.
This is the area of the brain that regulates the pituitary gland's function.

The hormones that are released by the pituitary gland (and their functions) are:

1. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) activates the adrenal gland to release cortisol; cortisol assists to keep blood pressure and electrolytes constant.

2. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) regulates water loss by the kidneys

3. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) regulates sexual function and fertility in males and females

4. Growth hormone (GH) activates growth of tissues and bone

5. Luteinizing hormone (LH) regulates sexual function and fertility in males and females

6. Oxytocin activates the uterus to contract during labor and the breasts to release milk

7. Prolactin activates female breast development and milk production

8. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) activates the thyroid gland to release hormones that involve the body's metabolism

Pituitary gland

In hypopituitarism, there is a loss or decrease of one or more pituitary hormones.

Reduction of a hormone results in loss of function in the gland or organ and the hormonal regulation.

Loss of TSH results in loss of normal function of the thyroid gland.

Hypopituitarism may be caused by:

1. Brain surgery

2. Brain tumor

3. Head trauma

4. Infections or inflammation of the brain and the tissues that support the brain

5. Radiation therapy

6. Stroke

7. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (from a burst aneurysm)

8. Tumors of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus

Occasionally, hypopituitarism is due to uncommon immune system or metabolic diseases, such as:

1. Hemochromatosis

2. Histiocytosis X

3. Lymphocytic hypophysitis

4. Sarcoidosis

The most frequent cause of hypopituitarism is anterior pituitary tumors.

The causes of hypopituitarism are:

1. Pituitary tumors: for example, adenomas.

2. Non-pituitary tumors: craniopharyngiomas, meningiomas, gliomas, chordomas, ependymomas, metastases.

3. Infiltrative processes: sarcoidosis, histiocytosis X, hemochromatosis.

4. Infections: cerebral abscess, meningitis, encephalitis, tuberculosis, syphilis.

5. Ischemia and infarction: subarachnoid hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, Sheehan's syndrome (postpartum hemorrhage with anterior pituitary infarction), pituitary apoplexy (caused by an acute infarction of a pituitary adenoma).

6. Empty sella syndrome: radiological diagnosis of absence of normal pituitary within the sella turcica.

Normally benign and without symptoms but may produce headaches and hypopituitarism.

7. Iatrogenic: irradiation, neurosurgery, reducing previous prolonged glucocorticoid replacement.

8. Head injury (may have occurred up to several years before).

9. Congenital: Kallmann's syndrome (congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with midline defects such as anosmia).

10. Autoimmune: lymphocytic hypophysitis.

11. Pituitary hypoplasia or aplasia.

12. Genetic causes

13. Idiopathic causes
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction

Chapter 1 Hypopituitarism

Chapter 2 Causes

Chapter 3 Symptoms