Internal Medicine (Practical) · MU Sofia

24. Main symptoms and syndromes of the endocrine disorders

Covers the general overview of endocrine disorders, grouped by hypofunction, hyperfunction, tumour-related, autoimmune, genetic and iatrogenic causes, then sets out symptom types in a summary table. It goes on to describe nine key syndromes in turn, from hypothyroidism and Graves' disease through Cushing's, Addison's, acromegaly and diabetes to pheochromocytoma, and closes with a table of red-flag emergencies such as thyroid storm and adrenal crisis.

Inside: 6 sections · 7 labelled pictures · 2 tables · 14 flashcards · 2 min

Topic 23 of 30 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Internal Medicine (Practical) (Medicine, Year 3). The free AceMed note covers it in 6 sections, about 174 words (2 min of reading), with 14 flashcards.

In this note

  1. Introduction
  2. Main Symptoms and Syndromes of Endocrine Disorders
  3. I. Overview of Endocrine Disorders
  4. II. General Symptoms of Endocrine Disorders
  5. III. Key Endocrine Syndromes
  6. IV. Red Flag Syndromes (May Need Emergency Attention)

I. Overview of Endocrine Disorders

Endocrine disorders involve dysfunction of hormone-producing glands, leading to:

  • Hypofunction → hormone deficiency
  • Hyperfunction → hormone excess
  • Tumor-related syndromes (e.g., pituitary adenomas)
  • Autoimmune diseases, genetic syndromes, or iatrogenic causes

III. Key Endocrine Syndromes

1. Hypothyroidism

  • Cold intolerance, dry skin, fatigue
  • Constipation, bradycardia
  • Weight gain, hoarse voice
  • Myxedema: non-pitting edema, puffy face

2. Hyperthyroidism (Thyrotoxicosis)

  • Heat intolerance, sweating, weight loss
  • Tremor, palpitations, anxiety
  • Diarrhea, amenorrhea
  • Graves’ disease: exophthalmos, goiter, pretibial myxedema

3. Cushing’s Syndrome (Hypercortisolism)

  • Central obesity, moon face, buffalo hump
  • Purple striae, thin skin, easy bruising
  • Hypertension, hyperglycemia
  • Osteoporosis, muscle wasting

4. Addison’s Disease (Adrenal Insufficiency)

  • Weakness, weight loss
  • Hypotension, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia
  • Hyperpigmentation (due to ACTH cross-reaction)

5. Acromegaly

  • Coarse facial features, enlarged hands/feet
  • Macroglossia, jaw protrusion
  • Hyperhidrosis, headaches, joint pain

6. Diabetes Mellitus

  • Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia
  • Blurred vision, fatigue
  • Weight loss in Type 1
  • Complications: neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy

7. Hyperparathyroidism

  • "Bones, stones, groans, and psychiatric overtones"
  • Bone pain, kidney stones, abdominal pain, depression

8. Hypoparathyroidism

  • Tetany, muscle cramps
  • Positive Chvostek’s and Trousseau’s signs
  • Paresthesias, seizures

9. Pheochromocytoma

  • Paroxysmal hypertension
  • Headaches, palpitations, sweating (classic triad)
  • Tremor, panic attacks

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