Hypopitiutarism and replacement therapy: Medical education

Abstract

Hypopituitarism refers to decreased secretion of pituitary hormones, which may result from diseases of the pituitary gland or from diseases of the hypothalamus, which cause diminished secretion of hypothalamic releasing hormones, thereby reducing secretion of the corresponding pituitary hormones. Clinical manifestations of hypopituitarism depend upon the cause as well as type and degree of hormonal insufficiency. Patients may be asymptomatic or present with symptoms related to hormone deficiency or a mass lesion, or with nonspecific symptoms. Diagnosis, clinical manifestations and treatment of hypopituitarism were discussed and reviewed separately here.