All processes in the body are controlled by hormones. Our mood, desire, appearance and well-being depend on hormones. The levels of some hormones are passed on to us by inheritance, while other hormones can be controlled by a person with both nutrition and drugs. The gland, at the primary level, produces hormones that are in & nbsp; further act on other endocrine glands - this is the pituitary gland. This gland, the size of a black seed, is able to control the entire body. But there are effects on a person or a disease in which the pituitary gland is affected. What disease develops when the function of the pituitary gland decreases or ceases?
Causes of dysfunction of the pituitary gland. Types of hypopituitarism
When cells of the pituitary gland are damaged, a disease called hypopituitarism develops. This damage develops due to autoimmune or radiation effects on the body. Then hypopituitarism is called primary. The main factor that leads to the development of pathological processes in the pituitary gland – increased intracranial pressure in the cavity of the Turkish saddle, where the pituitary gland is located. Clinical manifestations of symptoms occur when 70% of the cells of the pituitary gland are disturbed. Signs of panhypopituitarism develop when 90% of the adenohypophysis cells are damaged.
Secondary hypopituitarism is due to a decrease in the control of the hypothalamus over the pituitary gland. Releasing hormones control not only the function of the pituitary gland, but also the proliferation of its cells. Thus, when the regulation of the hypothalamus is disturbed, the cells of the pituitary gland atrophy.
When the pituitary gland is damaged, its function is impaired gradually and sequentially. First, the secretion of growth hormone is disturbed, then the secretion of the gonads, later LH and FSH, then TSH, ACTH – last.
Clinical picture of hypopituitarism. Symptoms of pituitary dysfunction
Symptoms of hypopituitarism can develop at lightning speed or gradually. During neurosurgical operations for a pituitary tumor or hemorrhage in it, symptoms develop acutely. With slow growth of a hormonally inactive pituitary microadenoma, the progression of the disease is slow.
The patients may report only minor non-specific complaints – headache, fatigue, increased fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance. It often takes several years from the first complaints to the diagnosis.
The symptoms depend on which hormones are disturbed.
Growth hormone deficiency:
- increase in the content of adipose tissue and decrease in muscle mass;
- frequent bone fractures;
- decrease in strength in muscles, decrease in endurance to physical exertion;
- shortness of breath due to decreased contractile function of the myocardium;
- decrease in basal metabolism;
- thinning and dryness of the skin, sleep disturbance;
- mental disorders - tendency to apathy, depression, self-esteem disorder.
Insufficiency of gonadotropic hormones (secondary hypopituatarism)
Women:
- infertility, amenorrhea and irregularity of the menstrual cycle according to the type of oligomenorrhea;
- atrophic changes in the vaginal mucosa;
- reduction or disappearance of genital hair;
- atrophic changes in the mammary glands;
- decrease in sexual desire or complete absence;
- weakening of memory, intellectual activity;
- urination disorders, urinary incontinence.
Symptoms in men:
- decrease or absence of sexual desire, weakening of adequate erections;
- lack of ejaculation, weakening of the intensity of orgasm;
- reduction in the amount of hair on the body and face, their thinning, pallor of the skin;
- reduction of pigmentation and wrinkling of the scrotum, decrease in the density and elasticity of the testicles.
Long-term deficiency of sex hormones provokes the development of osteoporosis, impaired lipid metabolism and early development of atherosclerosis in both sexes.
Thyroid stimulating hormone deficiency:
- weight gain;
- atonic changes in the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, bradycardia, decreased blood pressure;
- dryness and pallor of the skin, increased hair loss on the head;
- drowsiness, lethargy, apathy, decreased mental and physical activity.
ACTH deficiency (secondary hypocorticism):
- weight loss, severe weakness and fatigue;
- tendency to hypoglycemia, nausea, vomiting in the morning;
- loss of appetite, abdominal pain;
- orthostatic hypertension, decreased blood pressure.
Diagnostics and treatment of pituitary hormone secretion disorders
For diagnosis, laboratory tests (blood test for hormones), instrumental methods (MRI of the brain, osteodensitometry) and a carefully collected anamnesis are used.
Treatment is done to relieve symptoms, reduce hormone deficiency, and eliminate the causes of hypopituitarism.
Drug treatment includes replacing hormone deficiencies with synthetic hormones of the same group and monitoring their effectiveness.
Non-drug treatment includes physical therapy, rational nutrition. With an adrenal crisis, urgent hospitalization is indicated. Surgery may be required to correct the cause of hypopituitarism (a mass at the optic chiasm and sella turcica).
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