Medical therapy of hypothalamic diseases.

Abstract

Hormonal disturbances caused by hypothalamic pathology can be treated effectively by target hormone replacement in the case of failure of glandotropic hormone secretion. Hyposomatotropism in children has to be substituted by parenteral administration of growth hormone. In addition gonadotropins respectively gonadotropin releasing factor have to be given in order to restore fertility in hypothalamic hypogonadism. Posterior pituitary failure can be adequately replaced by administration of analogues of antidiuretic hormone. Hypothalamic pathology causing hypersecretion of anterior pituitary hormones may also be accessable to medical treatment. This pertains particularly to hyperprolactinemia and precocious puberty. However, there is no medical therapy so far for hypothalamic disturbances leading to veterative dysfunction like disturbances of temperature regulation and control of thirst and polyphagia. In this situation symptomatic correction of the abnormality represents the only possibility to keep these patients alive.

• Authors: K von Werder, O A Müller
• Journal: Acta neurochirurgica (Acta Neurochir (Wien)) Vol. 75 Issue 1-4 Pg. 147-51 ( 1985) ISSN: 0001-6268 [Print] Austria
• PMID: 3993450 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Hormones
• Hypothalamic Hormones
• Pituitary Hormones

Topics

• Autonomic Nervous System Diseases (drug therapy)
• Female
• Hormones (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Hypothalamic Diseases (blood, drug therapy)
• Hypothalamic Hormones (blood, deficiency)
• Male
• Pituitary Diseases (blood, drug therapy)
• Pituitary Hormones (blood)