What are the causes of high serum calcium levels?4 answersHypercalcaemia, or high serum calcium levels, can be caused by various factors. The most common causes include primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy. Other causes include vitamin D intoxication, granulomatous diseases like sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, thyrotoxicosis, Addison’s disease, milk-alkali syndrome, vitamin A intoxication, therapy with thiazide diuretics and lithium, familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia, and prolonged immobilization. In neonates and infants, the causes of hypercalcaemia can be classified into high or low PTH disorders, with conditions such as neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism, familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia, and Jansen’s metaphyseal chondrodysplasia associated with high serum PTH, and idiopathic infantile hypercalcaemia, Williams-Beuren syndrome, and inborn errors of metabolism associated with low serum PTH. Rare causes of hypercalcaemia include immobilization, genetic diseases like Williams-Beuren syndrome and Hypophosphatasia, and certain medications and conditions. Overall, hypercalcaemia can have a range of causes, and it is important to consider these rare causes in certain clinical situations when the underlying cause cannot be attributed to primary hyperparathyroidism or malignancy.
What are the effects of alcohol on cortisol production?5 answersAlcohol consumption has been found to have various effects on cortisol production. Chronic alcohol-dependent individuals experience continuously increased concentrations of cortisol during both intoxication and withdrawal, with further increases during the onset of withdrawal symptoms. Consuming a small-moderate amount of white wine prior to a meal has been shown to significantly increase serum cortisol levels immediately, while salivary cortisol levels are not significantly altered when measured during blood sampling. In men, there is a positive association between cortisol levels and units of alcohol intake per week, with heavy drinkers showing a reduced slope of cortisol decline over the day. Chronic alcoholism can also lead to male hypogonadism and a reversible clinical syndrome resembling Cushing's syndrome. Detoxified alcoholics have been found to have an attenuated cortisol response to stress, although higher stress cortisol values were seen in patients with more severe withdrawal symptoms.
What do high adrenal hormones indicate?4 answersHigh adrenal hormones, specifically cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), have been associated with various physiological effects. In the context of human follicular fluid, high cortisol levels have been found to be significantly associated with unsuccessful fertilization of oocytes. Additionally, postmenopausal smokers have been shown to have higher basal levels of adrenal cortical hormones, including androstenedione and DHEAS, compared to nonsmokers. Psychological stress has also been found to increase the secretion of cortisol by the adrenal cortex. Furthermore, prolonged treatment with adrenaline and desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) has been shown to raise blood pressure and induce organic changes in circulatory organs, suggesting a role for adrenal stress hormones in the development of hypertension. Overall, high adrenal hormones may indicate a disturbance in adrenal cortical hormone levels, increased stress, and potential physiological effects such as impaired fertility and hypertension.
Can prolactin increase cortisol levels?5 answersProlactin can increase cortisol levels. Studies have shown that elevated prolactin levels are associated with increased cortisol secretion. In one study, it was found that prolactin levels were significantly higher in women with endometriosis, a condition associated with stress, and these women also had higher cortisol levels. Another study found that the administration of buspirone, a 5-HT1A agonist, increased both cortisol and prolactin levels in both normal controls and individuals with major depression. Additionally, in the context of labour, it was observed that the concentration of cortisol tended to increase during labour. These findings suggest that prolactin can indeed increase cortisol levels, and this relationship may be influenced by various factors such as stress and hormonal imbalances.
How does potassium affects adrenal glands?4 answersPotassium affects adrenal glands by influencing the secretion of catecholamines, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are hormones produced by the adrenal glands. Increased potassium intake has been shown to elevate plasma concentrations of catecholamines, leading to an increase in blood pressure. Additionally, potassium deprivation or ouabain treatment enhances the secretion of catecholamines in the adrenal glands, both in unstimulated conditions and after transmural stimulation. Sodium levels also play a role in the regulation of catecholamine release in adrenal glands, as reduction of extracellular sodium or accumulation of intracellular sodium enhances the secretory efficacy of small increments of potassium. Furthermore, chronic behavioral stress has been shown to alter the expression of potassium channels in adrenal chromaffin cells, suggesting that stress can affect the intrinsic excitability of these cells. Overall, potassium levels and stress can modulate the secretion of catecholamines in adrenal glands, potentially impacting blood pressure regulation and neuroendocrine cell excitability.
How adh level increase ?5 answersADH levels can increase due to various factors. In patients with chronic congestive heart failure, ADH levels may increase in response to decreased circulating blood volume or as a result of the cardiac function improving. In patients undergoing major abdominal and thoracic surgery, ADH levels can increase during the operation procedure, particularly in patients under neuroleptanalgesia, but the increase is less pronounced in patients under epidural opiate therapy. In Drosophila melanogaster, there is a strong linkage association between a 37-bp insertion (V2) and the fast electrophoretic variant of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH-F), suggesting that either polymorphic nucleotide-site variants associated with V2 or V2 itself increases larval levels of ADH protein. In conscious dogs, the administration of cortisol did not affect plasma ADH levels during dehydration or normal hydration, but during a 5% NaCl infusion, cortisol delayed the increase in ADH levels. During cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with extracorporeal circulation, there is a marked increase in plasma ADH levels, which is similar to the increase observed during hemorrhagic shock in dog experiments.