| Acromegaly is a chronic metabolic disorder caused by | | | | Diabetes mellitus. |
| the presence of too much growth hormone. When | | | | Hypertension. |
| this happens, your bones increase in size, including | | | | Macroglossia [enlarged tongue] . |
| those of your hands, feet and face. Acromegaly | | | | Enlarging hands. |
| affects mostly middle-aged adults. Overproduction of | | | | Brow and lower jaw protrusion. |
| growth hormone is almost always caused by a | | | | Enlarging feet. |
| noncancerous (benign) pituitary tumor (adenoma). | | | | Heart failure. |
| This causes abnormal enlargement of bone, cartilage, | | | | Treatment of Acromegaly |
| muscle, organs, and other tissues. | | | | Radiation therapy has been used both as a primary |
| Other symptoms of acromegaly include thick, coarse, | | | | treatment and combined with surgery or drugs. It is |
| oily skin; skin tags; enlarged lips, nose and tongue; | | | | usually reserved for patients who have remnants of |
| deepening of the voice due to enlarged sinuses and | | | | the tumor even after surgery. Radiation therapy is |
| vocal cords; snoring due to upper airway obstruction; | | | | given in divided doses over four to six weeks. This |
| excessive sweating and skin odor; fatigue and | | | | treatment lowers GH levels by about 50 percent |
| weakness; headaches; impaired vision; abnormalities | | | | over 2 to 5 years, but it causes a gradual loss of |
| of the menstrual cycle and sometimes breast | | | | production of other pituitary hormones. Other rare |
| discharge in women; and impotence in men. The | | | | complications associated with radiation therapy are |
| most serious health consequences of acromegaly are | | | | loss of vision and brain injury. |
| diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and increased risk of | | | | Somatostatin and dopamine analogues and GH |
| cardiovascular disease. | | | | receptor antagonists are the mainstays of medical |
| Patients with acromegaly are also at increased risk | | | | treatment and are generally used after failure of |
| for polyps of the colon that can develop into cancer. | | | | primary surgery to induce complete remission. |
| Acromegaly most commonly affects middle-aged | | | | Treatment may include removal of the tumor, |
| adults and can result in serious illness and premature | | | | radiation therapy, and injection of a growth hormone |
| death. Because of its insidious onset and slow | | | | blocking drug. |
| progression, the disease is hard to diagnose in the | | | | Tumors that co-secrete prolactin have a better |
| early stages and is frequently missed for many years. | | | | response rate to dopamine agonists. The response to |
| Causes of Acromegaly | | | | these agents is often detected by a trial of the drug |
| The common Causes of Acromegaly : | | | | in suitable patients. |
| Acromegaly is caused by prolonged overproduction | | | | The goal of treatment is to restore the pituitary |
| of GH by the pituitary gland. | | | | gland to normal function, producing normal levels of |
| In about 90% of Acromegaly patients, the | | | | growth hormone. |
| overproduction of GH is caused by a benign tumor of | | | | Microsurgery to remove the pituitary tumor causing |
| the pituitary gland called an adenoma. | | | | this condition corrects the abnormal growth hormone |
| In a few patients, Acromegaly is caused by tumors | | | | secretion in most patients. This surgery may not be |
| of the pancreas, lungs, and adrenal glands. | | | | available to patients in isolated geographic locations, |
| Symptoms of Acromegaly | | | | so travel to a larger metropolitan area may be |
| Some Symptoms of Acromegaly : | | | | necessary for treatment. |
| Arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. | | | | |