Acromegaly -- Diagnosis, Treatment & Exam Pearls

In this episode of Quick Medical Review, we break down Acromegaly — a high-yield endocrine topic for USMLE, MRCP, PLAB, and SMLE exams.What you'll learn:- Pathophysiology: Why pituitary adenomas cause excess GH, how IGF-1 mediates the effects, and the difference between acromegaly and gigantism- Clinical features: From coarsened facial features to bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome — the classic exam clues and systemic complications- Visual field defect: How macroadenomas compress the optic chiasm causing bitemporal hemianopia- Diagnosis: The 3-step approach — IGF-1 screening, Oral Glucose Tolerance Test confirmation, and MRI imaging- Treatment: Transsphenoidal surgery, Somatostatin analogues (Octreotide/Lanreotide), Pegvisomant, Dopamine agonists, and radiotherapy- Complications: Hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, cardiomyopathy, colorectal cancer risk, sleep apnea, and arthropathyTimestamps:0:00 – Introduction0:25 – What is Acromegaly?1:20 – Clinical Features & Exam Clues2:30 – Visual Field Defect3:05 – Diagnosis (IGF-1, OGTT, MRI)3:55 – Treatment Options4:55 – High-Yield Rapid-Fire Exam Points5:30 – Wrap-UpStudy smart, not hard — subscribe for more high-yield medical reviews!Follow us on social media for updates and more content:Twitter: https://x.com/QuickMedReviewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quickmedicalreview/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090453442399Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/quickmedicalreview/Thread: https://www.threads.net/@quickmedicalreviewTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@quickmedicalreview