What is acromegaly?

Acromegaly is a rare disease, which causes excess growth in the bones and soft tissues of the body. People with this conditionón can grow to abnormal heights.

Spaghettiécan not have a structure óbe exaggerated that it gives them the appearance of being a giant. Acromegaly mainly affects the arms, legs and face.

Index

¿Whaté causes acromegaly?

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) regulates growth and development.

acromegalia
Actor Richard Kiel remembered for his roles in James Bond has a case of acromegaly

People with acromegaly have too much HGH. This causes your bones to grow too large and thick.. Due to this, the stimulation is accelerated.óno of growth, and his bones are much moreás bigger than other people.

HGH is manufactured in the glápituitary gland or hipóphysis near brain. In people with acromegaly, the hipóphysis may be affected by a tumor that causes it to produce too much HGH.

¿Whoén are at risk of acromegaly?

Acromegaly can start at any time afterés of puberty. Nevertheless, it's meáIt is common in middle age.

People are not always aware of their condition.ón. Changes in the body can take place slowly over many years.ños.

¿Cuáthey are the sísymptoms of acromegaly?

The sísymptoms of excessive growth of the body are numerous. Between the más communes isán:

  • The bones lengthen in the face, feet and hands.
  • Excessive hair growth in women.
  • Mand enlargementíbull and tongue.
  • overgrowth shoots (más común in people who had abnormal growth before adolescence).
  • weight gain.
  • Joints swollen and painful that limit movement.
  • spaces between the teeth.
  • Extended fingers and toes.
  • Hoarsely.
  • Fatigue.
  • Headache.
  • inability to sleep.
  • Muscular weakness.
  • sweatingóprofuse.
  • Body odor.
  • Glándulas sebáenlarged veins that produce oils in the skin.
  • Skin thickening and skin tags (noncancerous growths).

Diagnóstico

Many people with acromegaly do not know they have this condition.ón. Nevertheless, if the médoctors suspect it is acromegaly, you can test for it.

The exesáHGH blood tests can determine if a person has too much of the hormone. The magnetic resonancesétics and X-rays can be used to look for growth óabnormal seo. these tooén can be used to look for pituitary tumors that cause acromegaly.

The Mésay tooéThey can't search for a proteinína called insulin growth factoríonly type 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 levels can show if there is abnormal growth in the body. IGF-1 tests alsoén that can be used to monitor the progress of other hormonal treatments.

Preventionón

Acromegaly cannot be prevented. It can be regulated with the correct treatments, if diagnosed early.

Treatment

Treatment for acromegaly depends on the person's age and overall health.. Multiple treatments may be needed.

Drugs can be used to regulate or block the productionóno HGH.

the surgeryía can be used to remove tumors from the glápituitary gland.

La radiationón It can be used to destroy large tumors or sections of tumor afterés of the surgeryía.

Pronóstico: ¿Whaté can be expected in the long run?

the surgeryíto remove hip tumorsóphysis is generally effective. The treatment alsoén can help maintain acromegaly without having adverse effectsás negative in the long run.

Acromegaly can cause pressureón arterial alta, diabetes and other health problems in people who do not seek treatment.