Perspective On Endocrinology

Endocrinology is the medical specialty which studies the function, anatomy and disorders caused by disturbances of the endocrine system or hormones. This system consists of a set of glands distributed throughout the body that produce and release hormones into the blood, chemical messengers that regulate various body processes, including:

- Growth and development
- Metabolism (digestion, excretion, respiration, blood circulation, body temperature)
- Sexual function
- Fertility, Reproduction and Lactation
- Behavior

Hormone-producing glands include the pituitary (brain), thyroid, thymus, pancreas, ovaries, testes and adrenal glands (in the kidneys). An alteration in any of these glands to produce hormones or the body's response to hormones, causes imbalances in hormone levels and the functions that these hormones regulate. This can cause diseases such as hypothyroidism and diabetes, two of the most popular hormonal changes and more frequent today.

Endocrinologists evaluate through clinical examination and hormonal and metabolic analysis of the patient and offer treatment to control hormone levels, which may include hormone supplementation, such as insulin for treating diabetes.

Internal Medicine - What is it?

Internal Medicine is defined as a medical specialty that focuses on comprehensive care of the sick adult, focusing on prevention, diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of diseases that affect their internal organs and systems.

This specialty covers all the medical conditions of the adolescent and adult to older adults, it covers both sexes and all diseases and organ systems, especially those of patients with complex conditions affecting multiple organs. Internal medicine specialists, also known as internists, act as general practitioners or family physicians.

The objective of internal medicine is:

- The integrated and comprehensive clinical care of patients with health problems who come to the hospital, hospitalized or outpatient
- Guide the patient within the hospital health system, coordinating with other specialists for diagnosis and treatment
- Respond to complex patients referred by primary care physicians due to a difficult diagnosis for the presence of various diseases or symptoms of various organs
- Internists focus on cardiovascular risk factors, infectious diseases such as HIV, heart failure, rheumatic and autoimmune diseases

Consultations with an internist vary usually due to various and different symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, weight gain, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, chest pain, chills, weakness, unintentional weight loss, neck pain, migraines, and other symptoms.

Internal medicine examines the patient, body temperature, blood pressure, pulse, reflexes, breathing, and requests for blood and urine tests to assess the general condition of the patient. Sometimes a referral to a specialist is necessary if the internist cannot detect any specific disease.

Maria Gonzales, Health Writer for Medico.com.