Table of Contents
- 1 How does acromegaly affect the cardiovascular system?
- 2 Why does acromegaly cause diabetes?
- 3 What complications can acromegaly be life threatening?
- 4 How does acromegaly affect glucose?
- 5 What organ systems are affected by acromegaly?
- 6 Why is gigantism is associated with increased height while acromegaly is not?
- 7 What is the prevalence of hypertension in patients with acromegaly?
- 8 What causes gigantism and acromegaly?
How does acromegaly affect the cardiovascular system?
In patients with acromegaly, chronic excess of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) leads to the development of acromegalic cardiomyopathy. Its main features are biventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and in later stages, systolic dysfunction and congestive heart failure.
Why does acromegaly cause diabetes?
Acromegaly is an uncommon secondary cause of diabetes. Excess GH: 1) stimulates gluconeogenesis and lipolysis, causing hyperglycemia and elevated free fatty acid levels; 2) leads to both hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance, with compensatory hyperinsulinemia. Conversely, IGF-1 increases insulin sensitivity.
How does acromegaly affect the body?
People with acromegaly may have swelling in the hands and feet and develop a harsh facial appearance as the jawbone protrudes, the tongue enlarges, and the chest rounds. The heart grows, which impairs its function, and other tissue growth constricts the nerves, causing weakness, vision impairment, and headaches.
What is the main difference between gigantism and acromegaly?
Gigantism occurs when growth hormone hypersecretion occurs before the fusion of the long bone epiphysis and is characterized by tall stature. Acromegaly occurs when GH hypersecretion occurs after the fusion of the epiphysis leading to large extremities and characteristic facies.
What complications can acromegaly be life threatening?
The complications of acromegaly, such as heart problems, high blood pressure, and diabetes, can be life threatening.
How does acromegaly affect glucose?
Patients with acromegaly have an increased glucose turnover, as GH increases hepatic glucose production by increasing glycogenolysis (17). Chronic GH administration impairs insulin sensitivity in the liver, thereby reducing the ability of insulin to suppress gluconeogenesis and glucose output (12, 32, 61).
Why does acromegaly cause insulin resistance?
Since the physiological reciprocal temporal pattern of GH and insulin is abolished in active acromegaly, where the continous GH elevation chronically activates intracellular GH signaling, it remains possible that this could impair insulin signaling, hence causing insulin resistance.
What hormones are affected by acromegaly?
Acromegaly occurs when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone (GH) over a long period of time. The pituitary gland is a small gland at the base of your brain, behind the bridge of your nose. It produces GH and a number of other hormones. GH plays an important role in managing your physical growth.
What organ systems are affected by acromegaly?
Acromegaly is a disorder that occurs when your body makes too much growth hormone (GH). Produced mainly in the pituitary gland, GH controls the physical growth of the body. In adults, too much of this hormone causes bones, cartilage, body organs, and other tissues to increase in size.
Why is gigantism is associated with increased height while acromegaly is not?
What does acromegaly and gigantism have in common?
Gigantism and acromegaly are syndromes of excessive secretion of growth hormone (hypersomatotropism) that are nearly always due to a pituitary adenoma. Before closure of the epiphyses, the result is gigantism. Later, the result is acromegaly, which causes distinctive facial and other features.
Why does acromegaly cause headaches?
They press on surrounding areas of the brain, blood vessels, and nerves. For example, they can press on the optic nerve, causing vision problems. Pressure on other nerves can cause headache. The size of the tumor determines whether these symptoms occur and how severe they are.
What is the prevalence of hypertension in patients with acromegaly?
Prevalence of hypertension in acromegalic patients is about 35\%, ranging from 18 to 60\% in different clinical series, and the incidence is higher than in the general popu … Hypertension is an important complication of acromegaly, contributing to the increased morbidity and mortality of this condition.
What causes gigantism and acromegaly?
In children, gigantism occurs when this gland, located near the brain, produces an excessive amount of growth hormone (GH), which triggers bones to grow in length at the growth plates, and causes subsequent, abnormal growth spurts. Acromegaly is rare, and only occurs in adulthood.
How does acromegaly affect my risk for colon cancer?
People with acromegaly also have an increased risk for colon polyps, which may develop into colon cancer if not removed. Some people with acromegaly may have a genetic condition that can lead tumors to develop in different parts of their bodies.
How does acromegaly lead to congestive heart failure?
Heart involvement in acromegaly can ultimately lead to congestive heart failure, in which the heart cannot properly circulate blood to the lungs and the rest of the body, resulting in fluid buildup in the heart, lung and various body tissues.