PATH 205.3 Lecture 17: Endocrine 2
Document Summary
A 17-year old girl a two-month history of tiredness and lethargy. She had also noticed that she became dizzy when she stood up. On examination - pigmentation of the buccal mucosa and palmar creases, and an old appendectomy scar. Her blood pressure was 120/80 lying down, but fell to 90/50 when she stood up (orthostatic hypotension) Glucose (fasting): 2. 5 mmol/l: plasma cortisol: at 0900h. Adrenal gland a. k. a. suprarenal glands as they are situated on top of the kidneys. Adrenal medulla (inner) = synthesizes catecholamines like epinephrine (adrenalin) Adrenal hyperfunction: hyperaldosteronism (co(cid:374)(cid:374)"s sy(cid:374)dro(cid:373)e, hypercortisolism (cushi(cid:374)g"s sy(cid:374)dro(cid:373)e, adrenogenital syndrome. Adrenal hypofunction: acute adrenal insufficiency, chronic adrenal insufficiency (addiso(cid:374)"s disease) Adrenal cortex (outer) = plays role in steroid hormones like cortisol and aldosterone. Three zones of the adrenal cortex: zona glomerulosa which produces aldosterone, zona fasciculata which produces cortisol; one under the control of the pituitary, zona reticularis. Zona glomerulosa =produces aldosterone, which is a mineralocorticoid.
