Endocrinology was etymologically composed of the prefix endo-, meaning "inside", and the Ancient Greek word crino, which meant "secretion". The glands secreting hormones in the body are defines as endocrine glands. The hormone, in the simplest terms, is a chemical message sent from a cell group to another one. Through these chemical messages, the organs within the body communicate with each other.
Metabolism of the body, growth functions, mechanisms associated with growth and development as well as management of appetite are controlled through the hormones.
The Department of Endocrinology is generally interested in diseases listed below:
- Type 1 and 2 diabetes,
- Gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy),
- Metabolic syndromes,
- Hypertension (particularly endocrine hypertension),
- Obesity,
- Goiter and other thyroid gland disorders,
- Pituitary gland diseases (for instance, increased prolactin hormone),
- Elevated cholesterol and triglyceride (fat in blood),
- Osteoporosis (bone thinning) and metabolic bone diseases,
- Adrenal gland diseases,
- Polycystic ovary syndrome, Hirsutism (excessive hair growth) in women.
In summary, Endocrinology is interested in hypothalamus, pituitary and thyroid glands, parathyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, hormones secreted by ovaries and testes and body systems effected by these hormones as well as deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases caused by these systems. The diagnosis and treatment of the endocrine diseases are mostly based on laboratory tests. After making a pre-diagnosis with biochemical and hormonal laboratory tests, the final diagnosis is confirmed with imaging tests. Most of the endocrine diseases involve chronic diseases that require life-long monitoring. Diabetes, hypertension and hypothyroidism can be given as an example.