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the endocrine system and its specific secretions called hormones. An endocrinologist is a doctor who specializes in treating such disorders.
Hormones are molecules that act as signals from one type of cells to another. Those secreted by the endocrine glands travel primarily through the blood. Although every organ system secretes and responds to hormones (including the brain, lungs, heart, intestine, skin, and the kidney), the clinical specialty of endocrinology focuses on the endocrine organs, i.e. the organs whose primary function is hormone secretion.
Endocrinologists treat disorders of the pituitary, including growth disorders; diseases of the thyroid; diseases of the adrenal glands; diseases of the ovary and testes; and diabetes (although more commonly it is a diabetologist), a disorder of insulin secretion or sensitivity.
The medical specialty of endocrinology involves the diagnostic evaluation of a wide variety of symptoms and variations, as well as the long-term management of disorders of deficiency or excess of one or more hormones.
The practice of endocrinology is laboratory-oriented. A characteristic of endocrinology is that the diagnosis and treatment of endocrine diseases are guided by laboratoryBiochemistry laboratory at the University of Cologne. A laboratory (often abbreviated lab is a place where scientific research and experiments are conducted. The equipment in a laboratory will depend on what the lab is used for. Chemistry and biochemistry tests to a greater extent than for most specialties. Many diseases are investigated through excitation/stimulation or inhibition/suppression testing. This might involve injection with a stimulating agent to test the function of an endocrine organ. Blood is then sampled to assess the changes of the relevant hormones or metabolites. An endocrinologist needs extensive knowledge of clinical chemistry and biochemistryBiochemistry is the chemistry of life. Biochemists study the elements, compounds and chemical reactions that are controlled by enzymes and take place in all living organisms. Biochemistry is focused on the structure and function of cellular components, su to understand the uses and limitations of the investigations.
A second important aspect of the practice of endocrinology is distinguishing human variation from disease. Atypical patterns of physical development and abnormal test results must be assessed as indicative of disease or not. Diagnostic imaging of endocrine organs may reveal "spots," termed incidentalomaIn medicine, an incidentaloma is a tumor oma found by coincidence incidental without clinical symptoms and suspicion. It is a common problem: up to 7% of all patients over 60 may harbor a benign growth, often of the adrenal gland, which is detected when ds, which do not represent disease.
Endocrinology also requires caring for the person as well as the disease. Most endocrine disorders are chronic diseases warranting life-long medical care. The most common of these is diabetes mellitus. Successful care of diabetes and other chronic diseases necessitates understanding the patient at the personal and social level as well as the molecular, and the physician-patient relationship can be an important therapeutic process.
Apart from managing patients, many endocrinologists are involved in clinical science and medical researchMedical research is research conducted to aid the body of knowledge in the field of medicine. This can be divided into two general categories. New treatments that are tested in Clinical trials, and all other research contributing to the development of new, teaching and hospital management .