Question

Your patient is observed to have symptoms that are consistent with elevated concentrations of epinephrine in the blood, including a rapid heart rate, anxiety, and elevated fatty acid concentrations. However, the circulating epinephrine concentrations are tested and found to be in the normal range. Click on the statement below that offers the best explanation for your patient's condition. Since estrogen is permissive of the actions of epinephrine, your patient may have a hypersecreting ovarian tumor This leads to elevated circulating concentration of estrogen and a greater potentiation of the actions of epinephrine on the heart, nervous system, and adipose tissue Since cortisol is permissive of the actions of epinephrine, your patient may have a tumor within the adrenal cortex. This leads to elevated circulating concentration of cortisol and a greater potentiation of the actions of epinephrine on the heart, nervous system, and adipose tissue. Since thyroid hormone is permissive of the actions of epinephrine, your patient may have thyroid disease. This leads to elevated circulating concentration of thyroid hormone and a greater potentiation of the actions of epinephrine on the heart, nervous system, and adipose tissue Since growth hormone is permissive of the actions of epinephrine, your patient may have anterior pituitary disease. This leads to elevated circulating concentration of growth hormone and a greater potentiation of the actions of epinephrine on the heart, nervous system, and adipose tissue

Answer 1

A patient with symptoms of high epinephrine but normal epinephrine levels may have a thyroid disorder, as thyroid hormone potentiates the effects of epinephrine.

Step-by-step explanation:

If your patient exhibits symptoms akin to those caused by high levels of epinephrine such as rapid heart rate, anxiety, and elevated fatty acid concentrations, yet the concentration of epinephrine in the blood is normal, it is plausible to consider hormones that have a permissive effect on the actions of epinephrine.

Considering the endocrine system's complexity, one possible explanation is that another hormone may be potentiating the effects of epinephrine. Thyroid hormone has a permissive effect on the actions of epinephrine, meaning it enhances the hormone's influence on the body. Therefore, it is conceivable that a thyroid disorder leading to elevated levels of thyroid hormone could lead to an exaggerated response to normal levels of epinephrine, resulting in the symptoms observed in the patient.