Treatment of Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that results from excessive secretion of growth hormone (GH) in the body. The pituitary, a small gland in the brain, makes GH. Usually the excess GH comes from benign, or noncancerous tumors on the pituitary. These benign tumors are called adenomas. (1) Acromegaly is most often diagnosed in middle-aged adults, although symptoms can appear at any age. If not treated, acromegaly can result in serious illness and premature death. Acromegaly is treatable in most patients, but because of its slow and often "sneaky" onset, it often is not diagnosed early or correctly. (2) The most serious health consequences of acromegaly are type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and arthritis. Patients with acromegaly are also at increased risk of colon polyps, which may develop into colon cancer if not removed.
Other
Acromegaly is a chronic debilitating disorder resulting from excessive secretion of growth hormone and a resulting increase in the production of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). It is usually caused by somatotroph adenomas of the pituitary gland. The goal of treatment is to reverse the effects of the hyper-secretion of growth hormone and normalize production of IGF-I. Effective treatment ameliorates the symptoms and signs of the disease and lowers the mortality rate.
