Hyperprolactinemia causes and treatment

Hyperprolactinemia is a disease associated with an increased concentration of prolactin( the pituitary hormone) in the blood. This hormone, along with luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormone is produced in the pituitary gland and controls the work of the endocrine glands( thyroid, ovaries, adrenal glands and testes)

Causes

The reasons influencing the increased production of prolactin include:

- The most frequent cause ofThis condition is an adenoma( tumor) of the pituitary gland.

- Cirrhosis

- Hypothyroidism ( decreased functioning of the thyroid gland)

- Polycystic testicular syndrome( ovarian disease)

- Chronic renal failure

- Taking certain medications( birth control and antiemetics and antidepressants)

- Diseases of the brain( tumors, encephalitis, meningitis )

Hyperprolactinaemia in most cases occurs between the ages of 20 to 30 years, but there are cases when this ill teensof diagnosed at puberty

Symptoms

Elevated levels of prolactin in the blood, both men and women manifests itself in different ways.

Men: reduced testosterone levels, resulting in decreased interest in sex, develops infertility and impotence. In women: delay or complete absence of menstruation, violation of ovulation, during the menstrual cycle, there is a failure of the second phase, the release of colostrum or milk from the breasts;due to violations of the menstrual cycle may develop infertility

Diagnostics

diagnosis and subsequent treatment of hyperprolactinemia an endocrinologist and gynecologist - endocrinologist. The necessary diagnostic procedures include: the delivery of a blood test for prolactin( sometimes for other hormones), carrying out hormonal tests;To assess the size of the pituitary gland is spent x-ray of the skull and in particular the "Turkish saddle";Carrying out magnetic resonance and computed tomography;For women - consultation of a gynecologist;in the case of pituitary adenoma - consultation oculist

Treatment

most popular is the therapeutic treatment, wherein the patients are assigned specific dosage formulations( lisuride, Parlodelum etc.) that normalize the prolactin content in the blood, and for women reduced the normal menstrual cycle, andAbility to conceive. Removal of pituitary tumor by surgery is used in case of ineffectiveness of therapeutic treatment, or in case of developed visual impairment. Radiotherapy is used as an additional method of treatment. In the event that hyperprolactinaemia is caused by adrenal insufficiency or hypothyroidism, treatment of these conditions is prescribed, as a result of which the production of prolactin is normalized. One of the methods of treatment of this disease is ionizing radiation, which allows you to locally irradiate the pituitary gland without affecting the nearby tissues.

More articles on the topic:

1. Hypoparathyroidism 2. Hyperparathyroidism