Category Archives: Doctor’s Articles

Quality of Life Following Treatment for Cushing’s Disease

Doctor's Articles | Published on: Nov 11, 1999 | Recovery

As an endocrine nurse who took care of all phases of Cushing’s disease/syndrome patients, from confirming their Cushing’s diagnosis through treatment options, I have often wondered about their life at home years after they were treated for their Cushing’s disease (CD). What symptoms most influenced their life when they had Cushing’s? Did their symptoms decrease… Continue Reading

Venous Sampling in the Management of Cushing’s Disease

Doctor's Articles | Published on: Aug 12, 1999 | Diagnosis

Venous sampling has an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of Cushing’s disease. The purpose of the procedure is to determine the source of ACTH that causes pituitary-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, the particular form of which is given the name of Cushing’s disease. With rare exceptions, pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism is caused by an ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma, also called a corticotroph adenoma.… Continue Reading

Radiosurgery for Cushing’s Disease

Doctor's Articles | Published on: Apr 12, 1999 | Recurrent Pituitary Cushing's

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a method for delivering focused radiation therapy to a variety of tumors and lesions in the brain and to pituitary tumors. This discussion will address the use of Gamma Knife in patients with Cushing’s Disease, excess cortisol production by the adrenal glands because of a pituitary adenoma producing an excessive amount of ACTH.… Continue Reading

Steroid Induced Osteoporosis

Doctor's Articles | Published on: Sep 12, 1998 | Effects of Cushing's

Excessive production of cortisol by the body or chronic use of corticosteroids (CS) for treatment of disease causes accelerated bone loss and in about 30% of patients it causes osteoporosis related fractures. The first fractures usually occur in the vertebrae. Corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis (CIO) results from multiple effects on calcium and bone metabolism. CS inhibits the… Continue Reading

Opthalmologic Evaluation of Pituitary Adenomas

Doctor's Articles | Published on: Apr 12, 1998 | Pituitary Tumors and Vision

What should be included in a “baseline” eye examination? Visual acuity (“center vision”) Visual field (“peripheral or side vision”) Pupil exam (“the black part of the eye”) Slit Lamp exam (exam of the structures of the “front part of the eye”) Motility exam (“how the eye moves”) Dilated fundus exam (“looking at the back of… Continue Reading