H.+Endocrine+System

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__Application__ Christine- As nurses we see endocrine issues all the time. As I have gone through the nursing program I have seen many patients that have either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. I once thought these were rare diseases because when I was diagnosed I had never even heard of hypothyroidism. However, as I have seen more med lists I continue to see more and more people on medications for thyroid disease. As nurses its important to know what causes the disease and what the symptoms are. We also deal with a lot of diabetes. With this disease like many others education is the best thing we can offer. We need to educate our patients on the importance of exercise and diet, how to take their medications properly, how to take a blood sugar, and knowing the signs and symptoms of a low or high blood glucose. We also need to keep track of their vision and circulation because these are often signs that they are not taking care of themselves like they should.

It will be very important to know how the insulin helps maintain the blood glucose in their bodies.
=Kalli- The endocrine system is a very special system when it comes to secreting hormones into the = =blood and knowing what each hormone does. While studying this system, I learned alot about how = =each hormone secreted help which organs and how. When something is affecting a person's activities = =of daily living, it is important for the OTA to know what is causing that defect in daily living = =and how to help with reversing that issue in order to make the person's life more normal. = =__Content Summary__ = =** Types of hormones **= (info from notes)
 * 1. non-polar hormones **
 * ** are the lipid hormones **
 * ** cannot dissolve in blood plasma and must be carried by carrier proteins **
 * ** steroid hormones which are made up of cholesterol **
 * ** thyroid hormones which are produced by the thyroid gland **
 * 2. Polar Hormones **
 * ** are the protein hormones **
 * ** can dissolve freely in the blood plasma **
 * ** catecholamines which are produced by the adrenal medulla and the pineal gland **
 * ** polypeptide, protein, and glycoprotein hormones **

Hyperthyroidism vs Hypothyroidism

**//__Hyperthyroidism__//**

@http://www.google.com/imgres?q=goiter&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=601&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=RGHt38ntuyPacM:&imgrefurl=http://www.taytan.com/goiter.htm&docid=1hpUWZ2SJho4yM&imgurl=http://www.taytan.com/images/goiter.jpg&w=226&h=306&ei=Sh6sTov8EcvoggeZhuDBDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=519&sig=108640248947653000092&page=1&tbnh=112&tbnw=98&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0&tx=82&ty=39 @http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001396/
 * is when the thyroid makes too much of the hormone
 * is also know as the overactive thyroid
 * elevated basal metabolic rate
 * symptoms: difficulty concentrating, fatigue, frequent bowel movements, heat intolerance, increased appetite, increased sweating, goiter, and weight loss
 * causes: getting too much iodine, Graves disease, inflammation of the thyroid, growths on the thyroid gland or pituitary gland, and taking too much of the thyroid hormone
 * treatments may include taking antithyroid medications, radiation to the thyroid to make it stop making an overproduction of the hormone, or surgery to remove the thyroid

__//**Hypothyroidism**//__ @http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001393/
 * is when the thyroid doesn't make enough of the hormone
 * has a depressed basal metabolic rate
 * symptoms: sensitivity to cold, constipation, depression, fatigue, joint or muscle pain, weakness, weight gain, and thin brittle hair and fingernails
 * causes: inflammation of the thyroid gland, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, congenital defects, radiation to the neck, viral infections to the thyroid, or removal of the thyroid due to other problems of the thyroid
 * treatment: medication

Diabetes @http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002194/ = = media type="youtube" key="sTgBvJsHcCk" height="315" width="560" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTgBvJsHcCk
 * is when there are high levels of glucose in the blood
 * symptoms: blurry vision, the urge to want to void frequently, excessive thirst, hunger, weight loss
 * treatment: there is no cure for this disease but depending on what type of diabetes the individual is they may have to be given insulin injections or oral meds to regulate their insulin levels
 * the patient should be educated on proper diet and to avoid foods high in carbohydrates
 * The patient should also be educated on proper foot care. Diabetics can have nerve problems and are often associated with their feet. It is important that they keep their feet moisturized and free from lesions because unimproved sores may be a cause of amputation of the limb
 * There are three types of diabetes
 * 1) Type 1 diabetes is often found in the younger age groups and the body produces little to no insulin. Injections are needed daily to regulate blood glucose levels
 * 2) Type 2 diabetes is often found in older people who are overweight. They may or may not require injections. This kind of diabetes can be regulated by proper diet and exercise and with medications
 * 3) Gestational Diabetes is when a woman gets diabetes during pregnancy

=__Essential Question/ Case Study__ =

Describe how the hypothalamus regulates the action of the posterior pituitary and the anterior pituitary. Describe one hormone that the posterior pituitary and anterior pituitary makes and describe the action of the hormone. What are the trophic hormones and their role in the hormone communication?

The posterior pituitary and the hypothalamus are composed of the the same nervous tissue. The hypothalamus produces ADH and Oxytocin and then is transported to the posterior pituitary gland via the hypothalamo-hypophyseal tract. Theses hormones are then stored in the posterior pituitary until it is stimulated by the hypothalamus to secrete either the ADH or Oxytocin by the activation of the appropriate neurons. Oxytocin is a hormone to stimulate contractions during childbirth and stimulate lactation in the mammary glands.

The anterior pituitary is composed of epithelial tissue instead of the nervous tissue of the hypothalamus. The anterior pituitary gland produces its own hormones but however still uses the hypothalamus to release these hormones. Since the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary gland are made up of different tissues the hypothalamus cannot control the anterior pituitary gland by the hypothalamo-hypophyseal tract but rather by the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal system. This system is a group of blood vessels that move from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary and then from there on to other organs. The hypothalamus regulates the anterior pituitary by releasing regulatory hormones through this portal. These hormones either stimulate or inhibit the hormones that are secreted by the hypothalamus. An example of an anterior pituitary hormone would be the growth hormone. This hormone helps with protein synthesis which stimulates tissues and organs to grow.

Tropic hormones are the hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. They cause their target cells to either grow or shrink depending if the the levels are increasing or decreasing. These hormones include the growth hormone, the thyroid-stimulating hormone, the adrenocorticotropic hormone, the follicle-stimulating hormone, the luteinizing hormone, and prolactin. When there is enough of the hormone the body recognizes this and sends the regulatory hormones to stop the secretion of the tropic hormones which helps maintain homeostasis.