- adrenal glands
- small, triangular-shaped endocrine glands located on top of each kidney that produce and release a variety of hormones that are essential for regulating several vital functions in the body
- adrenal insufficiency
- insufficiency of the adrenal glands caused by complete or partial destruction of the adrenal cortex, which prevents the adrenal glands from producing adequate amounts of cortisol and aldosterone; also known as Addison’s disease
- alarm reaction
- first stage of GAS, in which a response to short-term stress is mediated by the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla via the SAM pathway; also called the fight-or-flight response
- Cheyne-Stokes respirations
- respiration characterized by cyclical episodes of hyperventilation and apnea
- colloid
- viscous fluid that stores the glycoprotein thyroglobulin, the precursor to the thyroid hormones
- congenital hypothyroidism
- disorder characterized by cognitive deficits, short stature, and sometimes deafness and muteness in children and adults born to mothers who were iodine-deficient during pregnancy
- Cushing’s disease
- condition characterized by excess production of circulating cortisol; caused by a tumor or adenoma on the pituitary gland
- Cushing’s syndrome
- condition in which the body makes too much cortisol over a long period of time
- diabetes insipidus (DI)
- disorder in which water cannot be retained by the kidneys and is lost as urine; caused by chronic underproduction of ADH or a mutation in the ADH receptor; also known as arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D)
- diabetes mellitus (DM)
- disease characterized by inappropriately high levels of blood glucose
- diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
- serious complication of diabetes characterized by high blood glucose, ketone production, and metabolic acidosis due to insufficient insulin
- endocrine signaling
- process by which hormones secreted into the extracellular fluid diffuse into the blood or lymph, enabling them to travel great distances throughout the body
- endocrine system
- network of cells, tissues, and organs that secrete hormones as a primary or secondary function
- euvolemia
- state of having a normal volume of fluids in the body
- exocrine system
- network of glands that release their secretions through ducts
- exophthalmos
- bulging eyes
- fluid deprivation test
- assessment for diagnosing diabetes insipidus; involves restricting the patient’s fluid intake while monitoring their body weight and urine concentration
- gestational diabetes (GDM)
- beta cells in the pancreas become unable to compensate for the demands of pregnancy, causing a dysfunction in the production of insulin and a reduced insulin sensitivity resulting in high blood glucose levels
- glucagon
- hormone released when the body’s blood glucose is too low, triggering the liver to release stored glucose to raise glucose levels
- goiter
- enlarged thyroid gland
- Graves’ disease
- hyperthyroid state that results from an autoimmune reaction in which antibodies overstimulate the follicle cells of the thyroid gland
- hormone
- chemical substance that travels throughout the body in the bloodstream and affects the activity only of its target cells
- hormone receptor
- protein that receives and responds to messages from a particular type of hormone
- humoral stimuli
- changes in blood levels of non-hormone chemicals, such as nutrients or ions, which cause the release or inhibition of a hormone to, in turn, maintain homeostasis
- hungry bone syndrome
- complication that occurs from prolonged hypocalcemia following surgical correction for hyperparathyroidism
- hyperglycemia
- high blood glucose levels
- hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS)
- severe condition associated with extremely high blood glucose and increased plasma osmolality, but without significant ketone production or metabolic acidosis, commonly occurring in type 2 diabetes
- hyperparathyroidism
- disorder caused by an overproduction of PTH, resulting in excessive calcium reabsorption from bone
- hyperthyroidism
- overproduction of thyroid hormones, characterized by an increased metabolic rate and consequential weight loss, excess heat production, sweating, and increased heart rate
- hypoparathyroidism
- disorder characterized by abnormally low blood calcium levels; may be caused by parathyroid hormone deficiency
- hypophysectomy
- removal of the pituitary gland
- hypothyroidism
- underproduction of thyroid hormones, characterized by a low metabolic rate, weight gain, cold extremities, constipation, reduced libido, menstrual irregularities, and reduced mental activity
- insulin
- hormone that helps cells absorb glucose for energy and lowers the body’s blood sugar levels
- Kussmaul respirations
- rapid, deep breathing at a consistent pace
- myxedema coma
- severe case of hypothyroidism that causes respiratory depression, hypothermia, and bradycardia
- negative feedback loop
- process characterized by the inhibition of further secretion of a hormone in response to adequate levels of that hormone
- neural stimuli
- release hormones in response to neural stimulation
- osmotic diuresis
- increased urination caused by increased concentration of glucose in the kidneys
- parathyroid
- gland located on the posterior surface of the thyroid gland
- pituitary gland
- bean-sized organ suspended from the hypothalamus that produces, stores, and secretes hormones in response to hypothalamic stimulation
- polydipsia
- extreme thirst
- polyuria
- excessive urination volume
- positive feedback loop
- process characterized by the release of additional hormones in response to an original hormone release
- stage of exhaustion
- third stage of GAS, in which individuals may begin to experience depression, the suppression of their immune response, severe fatigue, or even a fatal heart attack
- stage of resistance
- second stage of GAS, in which the individual’s body tries to adapt to stress
- syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone release (SIADH)
- disorder in which unsuppressed or over-release of ADH prevents the production of urine in the kidneys and impaired water secretion and leads to hypervolemia and hyponatremia
- thyroid
- butterfly-shaped gland with two lobes that are connected by the isthmus
- thyroid storm
- medical emergency caused when the thyroid gland releases a large amount of thyroid hormone in a short period of time
- type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)
- condition where autoimmune disease damages the beta cells of the pancreas so they do not produce insulin; thus, synthetic insulin must be administered by injection or infusion
- type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
- condition where cells of the body become resistant to the effects of insulin, so the pancreas increases its production of insulin
- vitiligo
- patches of skin without pigment