What is Acromegaly?

It is an endocrine disorder caused mainly by an excess production of growth hormone (GH) in the pituitary or hypophysis, a gland located at the base of the brain, which produces and controls various hormones, including growth hormone.

It usually occurs in children, causing gigantism, and in middle-aged adults, both women and men, increasing bone volume in the face, hands, and feet.

Its appearance is mainly due to the presence of a benign tumor in the pituitary. However, acromegaly can also be the result of a tumor located in another part of the body that produces the hormone or stimulates the gland to produce it.

The main features of acromegaly consist of:

Alteration of facial features’ proportions.
Enlarged hands and feet.
Jaw and forehead growth.
Spaced teeth.
Thick lips.

Signs and symptoms Acromegaly

Excessive and fetid sweating.
Burning or numbness of the hands and feet.
Tiredness and weakness.
Hypertension.
Joint pain.
Sebum.
Warts.
Deep tone of voice.
Decreased sexual desire.
Snoring.
Chronic fatigue.
Disorders in the menstrual cycle.
Sexual impotence in men.
Headaches.
Eyesight problems.

Possible complications of acromegaly are:

Hypertension.
Cardiomyopathies.
Osteoarthritis.
Diabetes.
Goiter.
Sleep disorders.
Vision problems or loss of it.
Tumor formation.

Diagnosis and treatment Acromegaly

Acromegaly is a condition that should be evaluated and treated by specialists since an excess of growth hormone in the blood affects life expectancy and quality. So your doctor, once he or she analyzes your symptoms and clinical history, will perform a physical assessment and a blood test to define your level of growth hormone, will take some X-rays to check bone thickening, and will perform an MRI to detect the presence of a tumor. The treatment to follow will depend on your case and its severity, but normalizing growth hormone levels will always be sought, either by:

Surgical treatment to remove the tumor.
Radiation of the pituitary gland.
Medication.

If surgery or radiation does not lower your GH level, you may require lifelong drug treatment. At ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we offer health care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and monitoring of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies of both chronic-degenerative diseases and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.

Related centers and departments

Cancer Center
Internal medicine
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

hormone.org
fesemi.org
myhealth.ucsd.edu
cun.es.org
msdmanuals.com
medigraphic.com
González-Houdelath K. Acromegalia. Revista Médica Sinergia. 2020;5(07):1-13.
Boffill CS, Valdés LN, Fernández GS, et al. ¿Acromegalia doble? Informe de caso. Rev Cub de Tec de la Sal. 2011;2(1):117-123.
González PL; Zarate ZM. Dolor crónico en acromegalia: autoatención y apoyo familiar. Arch Med Fam. 2014;16(3):37-42.
Hernández-Díaz H, Orozco-Ramírez SM, de Alba-Salmerón AL, et al. Vía aérea difícil anticipada en paciente con acromegalia. Reporte de un caso. Rev Mex Anest. 2015;38(3):199-204.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

Index

Content

Get from 3 to 9 interest-free installments* with American Express or 6 installments* when paying with Citibanamex, BBVA, HSBC, Santander or 12 installments*
when paying with Citibanamex.

Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is Acromegaly?

Signs and symptoms Acromegaly

Diagnosis and treatment Acromegaly

Related centers and departments

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Acromegaly