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Latest revision as of 16:20, 18 October 2017

Pituitary apoplexy

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

When to seek urgent medical care?

Diagnosis

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Pituitary apoplexy?

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Pituitary apoplexy On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Pituitary apoplexy

Videos on Pituitary apoplexy

FDA on Pituitary apoplexy

CDC on Pituitary apoplexy

Pituitary apoplexy in the news

Blogs on Pituitary apoplexy

Directions to Hospitals Treating Pituitary apoplexy

Risk calculators and risk factors for Pituitary apoplexy

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Varun Kumar M.B.B.S.; Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2] Akshun Kalia M.B.B.S.[3]

Overview

Pituitary infarction is the death of an area of tissue in the pituitary gland, a small gland joined to the hypothalamus (part of the brain). The pituitary produces many of the hormones that control essential body processes.

What are the symptoms?

Pituitary infarction usually has a short period of symptoms (acute), but it can be life-threatening.

Symptoms usually include:

Less commonly, pituitary dysfunction may appear more slowly. In Sheehan syndrome, for example, the first symptom may be a failure to produce milk caused by a lack of the hormone prolactin.

Over time, problems with other pituitary hormones may develop, causing symptoms of the following conditions:

When the posterior pituitary is involved (rare), symptoms may include:

What are the causes?

Pituitary infarction is most commonly caused by bleeding due to a noncancerous tumor of the pituitary. When this bleeding occurs in a woman during or immediately after childbirth, it is called Sheehan syndrome.

Who is at highest risk?

Risk factors for pituitary infarction include:

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if you have any symptoms of chronic pituitary insufficiency.

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have symptoms of acute pituitary infarction, including:

Be especially concerned if you develop these symptoms and you have already been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor.

Diagnosis

Signs of acute pituitary infarction may include:

Signs of chronic pituitary insufficiency include:

Tests may include:

Blood tests will be done to check levels of:

Treatment options

Treatment for acute infarction may require surgery to relieve pressure on the pituitary and improve vision symptoms. Severe cases need emergency surgery.

Immediate treatment with adrenal replacement hormones (glucocorticoids) is essential. Other hormones will be replaced, including:

Evidence is also growing for the need to replace growth hormone.

Where to find medical care for Pituitary apoplexy?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Pituitary apoplexy

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Acute pituitary infarction can be life-threatening. The outlook is good for people who have chronic deficiency that is diagnosed and treated.

Possible complications

Complications of untreated pituitary infarction can include:

If other missing hormones are not replaced, you may develop problems related to hypothyroidism and hypogonadism.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001167.htm

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