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Acromegaly - Overview

Alternative Names

Somatotroph adenoma; Growth hormone excess; Pituitary giant

Definition of Acromegaly:

Acromegaly is a chronic metabolic disorder in which there is too much growth hormone and the body tissues gradually enlarge.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Acromegaly occurs in about 6 of every 100,000 adults. It is caused by abnormal production of growth hormone after the skeleton and other organs finish growing.

Excessive production of growth hormone in children causes gigantism rather than acromegaly.

The cause of the increased growth hormone release is usually a noncancerous (benign) tumor of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland, which is located just below the brain, controls the production and release of several different hormones, including growth hormone.

  • Reviewed last on: 11/25/2009
  • Ari S. Eckman, MD, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Melmed S, Kleinberg D. Anterior pituitary. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 8.

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