Endocrine Abstracts

A 47-year-old businessman was admitted to the cardiology ward with a 3-week history of worsening dyspnoea, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea and swollen ankles. Clinical examination revealed sinus tachycardia, hypertension (190/100 mmHg), bibasal crepitations and ankle oedema. CXR showed cardiomegaly and pulmonary oedema while ECG showed left ventricular hypertrophy. Renal function and blood–glucose were normal. He was commenced on diuretics. Echocardiogram noted ...

A 25-year-old teacher presented acutely unwell with palpitations, breathlessness, nausea and vomiting. 4 years previously, she was treated for Graves’ disease with carbimazole for 15 months, and had since remained euthyroid. On examination, she was tachycardic but normotensive, tachypnoeic, had tremors of out-stretched hands, retraction of eyelids, and moderate sized smooth diffuse goitre with bruit. Initial blood tests revealed hyperthyroidism together with hypercalcaemi...

A 34-year-old welder presented acutely unwell with a 2-week history of facial puffiness, swollen legs, and weight-gain. His GP had found him to be hypertensive and hypokalaemic and had commenced oral potassium supplements. Clinical examination revealed peripheral oedema (face and legs), BP was 179/100 mmHg, with no Cushingoid features. ECG and CXR were unremarkable. Tests showed leucocytosis but normal CRP, persistent hypokalaemia (2.5 mmol/l), normal venous bicarbonate and gl...

Human obesity is characterized by abnormalities in sympathetic cardiovascular control. We present two cases to demonstrate the relationship between weight, BP and catecholamines (UC).Case 1: A 39 year-old man reported symptoms of flushing and palpitations. His BMI was 50 kg/m2, consistent BP of 240/140 mmHg, with normal renal, thyroid function and normal fasting glucose. Urinary noradrenaline (UNA820 nmol/24 hrs) and dopamine (UDA-4500 nmol/24...