Question

In: Anatomy and Physiology

“My Brother Calls Me ‘Bug Eyes’”: A Case Study on the Endocrine System Nineteen-year-old Krista waited...

“My Brother Calls Me ‘Bug Eyes’”: A Case Study on the Endocrine System

Nineteen-year-old Krista waited impatiently as Dr. Weisman scribbled in his chart. She hoped he was scribbling an explanation of what was wrong with her. She was tired of not feeling like herself and tired of being so stressed about it. She was particularly tired of how her eyes seemed to bulge outward, so much that her 10-year-old brother had started calling her “Bug Eyes.”

Dr. Weisman finally put down his pen and looked at Krista. “Well, your blood pressure and pulse are elevated. You’ve lost weight without trying, you have difficulty sleeping, you perspire more than usual and you’ve had continuing bouts of diarrhea. Those things, combined with the swelling in the front of your neck, suggest that you may be suffering from more than the stress of college life. I think we need to run some blood tests to check your thyroid function.”

Krista blinked in surprise. “All of those things can be caused by a problem with my thyroid? Even the way my eyes look?”

Dr. Weisman nodded. “Your thyroid secretes several hormones that have widespread and varied effects. The protrusion of your eyes is a condition called exophthalmos – it is an inflammatory response to abnormal levels of thyroid hormones. The fact that you have this condition in addition to your other symptoms makes me fairly certain this is a thyroid problem.”

Krista hoped Dr. Weisman was right. Having a medical explanation for her symptoms would mean that she wasn’t losing her mind. Several days later, Krista met again with Dr. Weisman.

“Let’s talk about your test results,” he said. “Your thyroid hormone levels are elevated, but your level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is lower than it should be. Those results suggest that you probably have Graves’ disease, which means that your thyroid is overactive. But there’s good news too—this is a condition that we can treat relatively easily.”

Krista felt a twinge of relief at the doctor’s words, but a flurry of questions poured out of her mouth. “What made my thyroid go crazy? And what is TSH? If it’s a thyroid hormone, why is it low instead of high like everything else? And what kind of treatment do I need? Will it fix my thyroid? Will I…”

Dr. Weisman laughed and held up his hand to stop the barrage of questions. “Hold on, Krista. I’ll explain everything, and with the right treatment, your brother may not be able to call you ‘Bug Eyes’ much longer.”

Post-Study Questions

  1. Name the two hormones commonly referred to as “thyroid hormone” and describe their general actions.
  1. Why would an overactive thyroid cause Krista’s weight loss, sweating, and elevated heart rate?
  1. Krista wonders if TSH is a “thyroid hormone,” and Dr. Weisman explains that it is not. State the action of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and name the gland that secretes it.
  1. How is the secretion of TSH regulated under normal conditions?
  1. In Graves’ disease, the immune system makes antibodies that stimulate TSH receptors on the thyroid gland. What effect does this have on Krista’s thyroid?
  1. Why is Krista’s TSH level low instead of high?

Solutions

Expert Solution


Related Solutions

Endocrine System Case Study PM is a 15-year-old young woman who started her menstrual period at...
Endocrine System Case Study PM is a 15-year-old young woman who started her menstrual period at age 11. Recently, she has been experiencing double vision, headaches, and amenorrhea. A skull MRI indicates a pituitary adenoma. Blood tests indicate low estrogen, progesterone, and TSH levels. Case Study Questions Discriminate the relationship of the pituitary gland to the optic nerve, its role in controlling sex hormones, and connection to thyroxin serum levels. Examine the pathophysiology of adenoma. Explain why this benign tumor...
Case Study in Endocrine in preparation for Discussion A 51-year old unemployed salesman is brought to...
Case Study in Endocrine in preparation for Discussion A 51-year old unemployed salesman is brought to the emergency department by EMS at 0800, accompanied by his wife. His wife tells the emergency department nurse that her husband has not been feeling well for the last week, but that when he got up this morning, he was so weak he couldn’t dress himself and didn’t know where he was. She also tells the nurse her husband has been taking a cortisone...
Case Study in Endocrine in preparation for Discussion A 51-year old unemployed salesman is brought to...
Case Study in Endocrine in preparation for Discussion A 51-year old unemployed salesman is brought to the emergency department by EMS at 0800, accompanied by his wife. His wife tells the emergency department nurse that her husband has not been feeling well for the last week, but that when he got up this morning, he was so weak he couldn’t dress himself and didn’t know where he was. She also tells the nurse her husband has been taking a cortisone...
Case Study in Endocrine in preparation for Discussion A 51-year old unemployed salesman is brought to...
Case Study in Endocrine in preparation for Discussion A 51-year old unemployed salesman is brought to the emergency department by EMS at 0800, accompanied by his wife. His wife tells the emergency department nurse that her husband has not been feeling well for the last week, but that when he got up this morning, he was so weak he couldn’t dress himself and didn’t know where he was. She also tells the nurse her husband has been taking a cortisone...
Endocrine Case Study A 54-year old man finally goes to the doctor at the urging of...
Endocrine Case Study A 54-year old man finally goes to the doctor at the urging of his wife. His face, neck and shoulders have become puffy while his limbs are thinning. He believes he is in good shape because all his friends are gaining weight while he’s just shifting his around. He claims to eat a relatively healthy diet and has no allergies or other health problems. He’s not sure why his arms and legs seem to be getting thinner,...
Case Study: The Patient with Endocrine Problems The nurse is caring for a 41-year-old woman who...
Case Study: The Patient with Endocrine Problems The nurse is caring for a 41-year-old woman who is the mother of two small children. She states that she has felt “nervous and tired” for approximately 1 month. Today, she has had a sudden onset of breathlessness with cardiac palpitations. She states, “I have not been feeling well for about a month, but when I felt breathless I thought I should be checked out.” Upon further questioning, the nurse finds that the...
Case Study: The Patient with Endocrine Problems The nurse is caring for a 41-year-old woman who...
Case Study: The Patient with Endocrine Problems The nurse is caring for a 41-year-old woman who is the mother of two small children. She states that she has felt “nervous and tired” for approximately 1 month. Today, she has had a sudden onset of breathlessness with cardiac palpitations. She states, “I have not been feeling well for about a month, but when I felt breathless I thought I should be checked out.” Upon further questioning, the nurse finds that the...
Endocrine System disorder Case: 15 year-old Zinga is brought to the ER by her mother. She...
Endocrine System disorder Case: 15 year-old Zinga is brought to the ER by her mother. She is hyperventilating, vomiting and complaining of nausea. Her mother states that her daughter has not seemed like herself lately. She is very thin (and recently has been losing weight) although her mother indicates she has been eating and drinking continuously. Her urinary frequency has increased dramatically. She has even been having trouble with bed-wetting although this previously had not been a problem. What disease...
Endocrine pathophysiology Diabetes case study A 21-year old female (A.M) presents to the urgent care clinic...
Endocrine pathophysiology Diabetes case study A 21-year old female (A.M) presents to the urgent care clinic with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever for 3 days. She states that she has Type I diabetes and has not been managing her blood sugars since she’s been ill and unable to keep any food down. She’s only tolerated sips of water and juices. Since she’s also been unable to eat, she hasn’t taken any insulin as directed. While helping A.M....
Endocrine Case Histories - Case 29 A 50-year-old male had a total thyroidectomy followed by thyroid...
Endocrine Case Histories - Case 29 A 50-year-old male had a total thyroidectomy followed by thyroid hormone-replacement therapy. Thirty-six hours later he developed laryngeal spasms, a mild tetany, and cramps in the muscles of the hands and arms. The following tests were performed: Urine calcium 20 mg/dL Urine phosphorus 0.1 g/day Plasma calcium 7.0 mg/dL Plasma phosphorus 5.0 mg/dL Calcium gluconate and vitamin D (calcitriol) were given orally each day and the tetany and laryngeal spasms were alleviated. 1. Discuss...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT