What is acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Acromegaly is a serious condition that occurs when the body produces too much of the hormones that control growth. This causes abnormal enlargement of bone, cartilage, muscle, organs, and other tissues. This abnormal growth can cause serious disease and even premature death.
Related QuestionsSandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...Acromegaly is a rare chronic disorder caused by the presence of a pituitary adenoma, which results in the hypersecretion of growth hormone (GH) and subsequent elevation of circulating and locally produced insulin-like growth factor-1 levels (IGF-1). The clinical presentation of acromegaly is characterized by skeletal overgrowth deformities, particularly of the hands, feet and face, cardiovascular disease, neuropathy and respiratory obstruction.Related Questions
What causes acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Acromegaly occurs when the body produces too much of any of the hormones that control growth. These include growth hormone (GH), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Overproduction of these hormones is caused by certain types of tumors. In over 95% of cases, the tumor is an adenoma of the pituitary gland.
Related QuestionsHow common is acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Acromegaly is a rare disease. In the United States, about 1 in every 20,000 people has the disease. It can affect people of any age, but is most often diagnosed in adults aged 40-45 years.
Related QuestionsWhat are other symptoms of acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Many of the symptoms result from the enlargement of tissues caused by excess growth hormone and IGF-1 in the blood. Arthritis, back pain, and curvature of the spine (kyphosis) - Due to enlargement of bones and cartilage in joints Change in bite or chewing, or spreading out of teeth – Due to enlargement of jaw and other facial bones
Related QuestionsWhat are the complications of acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Acromegaly can cause enlargement of body organs such as the heart, thyroid gland, liver, and kidneys. Untreated, acromegaly is linked to early heart disease, high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, diabetes, and colonic polyps, a precursor of colon cancer. People with acromegaly have almost twice the chance of dying prematurely as the general population. Successful treatment, however, will restore near normal health in most individuals.
Related QuestionsHow is acromegaly diagnosed?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Acromegaly is not an easy diagnosis, and it is usually missed by primary care doctors. Some of the signs and symptoms of acromegaly are very distinctive. Others are subtle and can be missed or misinterpreted. They are not always recognized as acromegaly because they develop so slowly. Once the diagnosis is suspected, you are usually referred to a specialist in hormonal disorders (endocrinologist). Blood tests are used to help confirm the diagnosis.
Related QuestionsCan acromegaly be cured?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Acromegaly can be put into remission. This means that the disease is stopped and many of the signs and symptoms reversed. But, acromegaly can be a lifelong disease. Drug and/or radiation therapy typically goes on for several years. Even after successful therapy, you will need to see your health care provider regularly to have your growth hormone and IGF-1 levels checked.
Related QuestionsHow can acromegaly be prevented?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...There is no known way to prevent acromegaly. Early detection is the best hope of preventing severe symptoms and complications.
Related QuestionsIs acromegaly a fatal disease?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Acromegaly itself is usually not fatal. The complications of acromegaly, such as heart problems, high blood pressure, and diabetes, can be life threatening. Successful treatment of acromegaly, however, will usually restore normal health.
Related QuestionsWhat treatments are available for acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...There are several treatment options in acromegaly. Whichever treatments are used, the goal is to relieve and reverse the symptoms of the disease. This is done in 2 ways: by normalizing production of growth hormone and IGF-1 and by reducing the effects of the pituitary tumor on the surrounding tissues. A secondary goal is to avoid damaging normal pituitary tissue. Which treatments are used for a specific individual depend on the cause of the disease.
Related QuestionsIs surgery a cure for acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Surgery alone does bring about remission for some people, but not everyone. “Remission” in this case means to return levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 to normal. Remission is different than cure in that the disease can come back from remission. If it is successful, this operation quickly relieves symptoms caused by the tumor pressing on adjacent tissue. Remission rates are about 80-85% for small adenomas (microadenomas) and 50-65% for large adenomas (macroadenomas).
Related QuestionsWhat drugs are used to treat acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Growth hormone receptor blockers are the newest category of drugs used for acromegaly. These drugs work by blocking the places on cells where growth hormone “docks.” If the excess growth hormone in the blood can’t dock on a cell, it can’t cause abnormal growth of the cell. The only drug in this category that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for acromegaly is pegvisomant (Somavert).
Related QuestionsWhat does it mean to live with acromegaly?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...Treatments for acromegaly do work in a significant proportion of people. Unfortunately, however, the disease is rarely caught early enough to prevent permanent damage or even premature death. Bone changes of acromegaly are permanent. Many of the soft-tissue changes, such as swelling, enlarged tongue, thickened skin, acne, carpal tunnel syndrome, and goiter, and sexual problems, are reversible with treatment.
Related QuestionsWhat medications are available for treatment of Acromegaly?
Pituitary Society - Public Site - Information about the pitu...Somatostatin analogs: octreotide (Sandostatin), octreotide LAR (Sandostatin LAR), lanreotide or lanreotide (Autogel; not currently available in the U.S.).
Related QuestionsWhat are the goals of treatment for acromegaly?
Sandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...The goals of treatment in acromegaly include normalization of GH and IGF-1 levels, reduction in tumour size, prevention of tumour recurrence, and alleviation of significant comorbid features, particularly cardiovascular, pulmonary and metastatic derrangements.4,5 There has been considerable debate on the appropriate level of GH to be achieved when treating acromegaly.
Related QuestionsWhat is first-line therapy for acromegaly?
Sandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...Transsphenoidal surgical excision of the pituitary adenoma is usually first-line therapy in acromegaly. The procedure is associated with normalization of GH levels in approximately 90% of patients with well-defined microadenomas.8-11 Surgical remission rates are lower in patients with macroadenomas because of the large, fibrous, and frequently invasive nature of these tumours, which makes complete resection unlikely.
Related QuestionsWhen is it appropriate to treat acromegaly with Sandostatin®?
Sandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...Sandostatin® is typically used as second-line treatment in patients whose GH levels remain elevated after surgery, or in those patients for whom surgical resection is not an option. 5 Based on the results of independent investigations, it has been proposed that it should also be considered as first-line treatment in patients with acromegaly caused by a macroadenoma, in whom the chances of surgical cure are reduced.
Related QuestionsCan medical treatment be used instead of surgery for Acromegaly?
Pituitary Society - Public Site - Information about the pitu...Occasionally, but not usually. Most patients have a macroadenoma (tumor greater than 1 cm) at the time of diagnosis. In this situation, surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible is usually the first treatment. This is particularly important if the tumor is close to the eye nerves (optic chiasm). If the patient cannot undergo surgery, or there is no clear benefit of surgery, medical treatment, preferably with Sandostatin, is used.
Related QuestionsHow are patients with acromegaly refractory to surgical intervention managed?
Sandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...For patients with acromegaly who are not candidates for surgery, or for whom surgery is unsuccessful, alternative approaches, such as irradiation and pharmacological therapy, are required. In recent years, the use of pituitary irradiation has declined. The technique is commonly associated with adverse effects, including hypopituitarism.
Related QuestionsWhat types of pharmacological therapy are suitable for acromegaly?
Sandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...The type of pharmacological therapy recommended for acromegaly depends on a number of factors relating to the individual patient, the severity and complications of the disease, and the risk/benefit ratio of the particular treatment modality.4 Long-acting somatostatin analogs, such as octreotide acetate (Sandostatin®), are the mainstay of pharmacological treatment.5 Oral dopamine agonists, such as bromocriptine mesylate (Parlodel®), constitute another therapeutic option.
Related QuestionsDo all patients with acromegaly respond to Sandostatin® treatment?
Sandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...Clinical studies show that Sandostatin® produces a fall in GH serum concentration in approximately 85-90% of patients with acromegaly.30,31 More than 50% of those treated will achieve serum GH levels (5 ?g/L and almost 75% of patients will have normalized IGF-1 levels.32 In a recent study in 42 patients with acromegaly, a single dose of Sandostatin® reduced GH levels from a mean basal level of 26 ?g/L to less than 5 ?g/L in 74% of patients within 6 hours.
Related QuestionsWhat are the clinical benefits of Sandostatin® for patients with acromegaly?
Sandostatin.com Global for Healthcare Professionals - Freque...Cardiovascular disease is widely acknowledged as one of the most important complications of acromegaly, accounting for much of the mortality associated with the condition. Long-term studies with both Sandostatin® and Sandostatin® LAR® have shown that normalization of GH and IGF-1 levels is associated with improved cardiac performance in patients with acromegaly.
Related QuestionsWhy does acromegaly cause vision loss and headache?
Acromegaly FAQs Medical Reference Medical Encyclopedia Infor...These symptoms are caused not by the acromegaly itself, but by the pituitary tumor. These tumors are almost always benign, meaning that they do not spread to other parts of the body. However, they can cause problems as they grow. They press on surrounding areas of the brain, blood vessels, and nerves. For example, they can press on the optic nerve, causing vision problems. Pressure on other nerves can cause headache.
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