Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder in adults caused by prolonged excess growth hormone, usually from a pituitary tumour, leading to gradual tissue and bone enlargement.
Key takeaways
- Increasing ring or shoe size, coarser facial features, sweating, headaches and jaw changes can develop slowly over years.
- Diagnosis relies on hormone testing and pituitary imaging, not appearance alone.
- Treatment aims to control hormone excess and reduce complications affecting the heart, metabolism, joints, breathing and vision.
The listings below are specialist therapies and are not appropriate without a confirmed diagnosis and monitoring.
How acromegaly is assessed
An IGF-1 blood test is commonly used for initial evaluation, with further growth-hormone testing when needed. MRI can identify a pituitary tumour. Assessment also checks blood pressure, glucose, sleep apnoea, heart function and visual fields because excess hormone affects several systems.
Treatment decisions
Pituitary surgery may be the first approach when a removable tumour is present. Medicines can suppress growth-hormone release, block its effects or reduce production; radiotherapy has a role in selected cases. The plan depends on tumour size, hormone levels, symptoms and response to earlier treatment.
When to seek urgent care
Seek urgent assessment for a sudden severe headache, new loss of vision, fainting, confusion, chest pain or marked breathlessness.