Hypopituitarism is a rare condition in which the pituitary gland of the brain, also known as the pituitary gland, cannot produce one or more hormones in sufficient quantities. When this happens, various body mechanisms may not work properly, especially those related to growth, blood pressure, or reproduction.
Depending on the hormone affected, symptoms may vary, but in general, your doctor may suspect a case of hypopituitarism when a child is not growing at a normal rate or when a woman has fertility problems, for example.
- Although there is a treatment.
- Hypopituitarism cannot be cured and.
- Therefore.
- It is very common for the person to have to follow the treatment indicated by the doctor for the rest of his life.
- To control the symptoms.
Symptoms of hypopituitarism vary depending on the hormone affected, however, the most common signs include:
These symptoms usually appear slowly over time, although there are also rarer cases where they appear at any time.
For example, when suspected hypopituitarism, it is important to consult a family doctor or endocrinologist to confirm the diagnosis and initiate the most appropriate treatment.
The best way to confirm the diagnosis of hypopituitarism is to consult a family doctor or endocrinologist to perform a blood test and confirm the hormonal values produced by the pituitary gland, in the case of hypopituitarism it is normal for one or more values to be lower than the expected.
Hypopituitarism can exist from birth, however, it is more common to appear after a problem that involves a change in the pituitary gland. Problems that can cause hypopituitarism include:
In addition, changes in the hypothalamus, which is another region of the brain just above the pituitary gland, can also cause hypopituitarism. This is because the hypothalamus is responsible for the production of hormones that influence the functioning of the pituitary gland.
In most cases, the treatment of hypopituitarism is done with drugs that help restore hormone levels produced in less quantity by the pituitary gland and that must be maintained throughout life to control symptoms.
In addition, the doctor can also prescribe the use of cortisone, which can be used in times of crisis, when you are sick or in times of increased stress.
If the hypopituitarism is caused by a tumor, it is important to have surgery to remove the affected tissue.
In any case, it is very important that the person with hypopituitarism visit the doctor regularly to monitor hormonal levels and adjust treatment doses, in order to avoid symptoms and complications such as infertility. , for example.