Interní Med. 2009; 11(5): 221-223

Acromegaly - current limitations of therapy

doc. MUDr. Zdeněk Fryšák CSc¹, MUDr. David Karásek Ph.D¹, MUDr. Milan Halenka Ph.D¹, MUDr. Josef Machač^3,2

¹ III. interní klinika FN a LF UP Olomouc

² Klinika dětské ORL, LF MU a FN Brno

³ Neurochirurgická klinika LF UP a FN Olomouc

First of all, acromegaly needs to be borne in mind. The disease develops slowly, insidiously, changing the patient‘s appearance, so it is

no wonder that it typically may take a long time of ten, or sometimes as many as 35 years before the diagnosis is confirmed. The autonomous

and, in particular, excessive growth hormone secretion produces numerous adverse effects that complicate and demonstrably

shorten the patient‘s life. The typical appearance characteristic for acromegaly or the local compression signs due to macroadenoma

are merely an external manifestation of the disease. Even if costly, medication therapy has markedly improved the patients‘ prospects. It

has become a significant part of the complex treatment in which microsurgery still plays an essential role being properly supplemented

by actinotherapy where indicated.

Keywords: acromegaly, somatostatin analogue, pegvisomant, residual secretion, gravidity.

Published: June 1, 2009  Show citation