Review article

Emergencies in endocrinology

Sanja Klobučar Majanović ; Klinika za internu medicinu, Zavod za endokrinologiju, dijabetes i bolesti metabolizma, KBC Rijeka, Rijeka
Željka Crnčević Orlić ; Klinika za internu medicinu, Zavod za endokrinologiju, dijabetes i bolesti metabolizma, KBC Rijeka, Rijeka
Čedomir Zorić ; Klinika za internu medicinu, Zavod za endokrinologiju, dijabetes i bolesti metabolizma, KBC Rijeka, Rijeka
Nenad Bićanić ; Klinika za internu medicinu, Zavod za endokrinologiju, dijabetes i bolesti metabolizma, KBC Rijeka, Rijeka

Abstract

Endocrine emergencies are group of life-threatening conditions which often remain
unrecognised despite diagnostic and therapeutic achievements of modern medicine.
Delay in making the diagnosis and initiating treatment give rise to already high mortality
rate in this group of patients. Although emergencies in endocrinology usually develop in patients
with long-standing endocrinopathies, endocrine crisis can be the first manifestation
of endocrine disease which additionally contribute to a late diagnosis. This review discusses
the evidence-based management of diabetic and endocrine emergencies in the adult population.
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS) are two of
the most serious acute complications of diabetes and as such constitute the majority of all
endocrine emergencies. Thyroid storm, myxedema coma and adrenal crisis are less common
in everyday clinical practice. However, the failure to recognise them and to begin rapidly
the specific therapy can have fatal consequences. Giving the fact that endocrine crises
are often precipitated by an acute event, identification and treatment of underlying event is
required.

Keywords

acute adrenal insufficiency; diabetic ketoacidosis; hyperglycemic emergencies; hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state; myxedema coma; thyroid storm

Hrčak ID:

112529

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/112529

Publication date:

2.12.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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