Specialty Area: Endocrinology
Description of Specialty: Endocrinology is the field of medicine which diagnosis and
manages diseases of the endocrine (glandular) systems.
1. Diagnosis: Diabetes (general)
Questions that should be asked:
- What kind of diet should I be on?
- How important is exercise?
- How do I measure my blood sugar?
- How often should I check my blood sugar?
- What are ketones?
- How and when should I check for ketones?
- How much should I weigh?
- How often should I have an office visit?
- What kind of diabetes do I have?
2. Diagnosis: Diabetic Foot
Questions that should be asked:
- Why do you want to check my feet?
- How often should my circulation be checked?
- What are the instructions for caring for my feet?
- Should I have surgery to correct my bunions?
- My feet are somewhat deformed. What kind of shoes do I need?
3. Diagnosis: Diabetic Foot Ulcer
Questions that should be asked:
- I have a foot ulcer but it is not painful. Why is it not painful?
- Since the ulcer is not painful, can I walk on it?
- Why do you want to trim the ulcer?
- How can I tell if the ulcer is infected?
- Do I need to see a specialist?
- Do I need a x-ray of this foot?
4. Diagnosis: Diabetes and Exercise
Questions that should be asked:
- Why is exercise important in controlling my diabetes?
- What affect does exercise have on my blood sugar?
- Does it cause low blood sugar?
- How can I prevent hypoglycemia when exercising?
- I have foot problems. Does this limit the kinds of exercise I can do?
- Can exercise injure my eyes?
5. Diagnosis: Diabetes and Hypertension
Questions that should be asked:
- Why do you take my blood pressure both standing and when I am lying down?
- Since I have hypertension and diabetes, what kind of medicine should I take?
- Can hypertension affect my eyes and kidneys?
- Can hypertension contribute to atherosclerosis?
- If it does, how and why does this happen?
6. Diagnosis: Diabetes and the Kidney
Questions that should be asked:
- What are the first signs of diabetic kidney disease?
- What is microalbuminuria?
- Are there certain drugs to help treat diabetic kidney disease?
- Does hypertension cause kidney disease?
7. Diagnosis: Diabetes and the Eye
Questions that should be asked:
- How common are diabetic eye problems?
- Do diabetics have more cataracts than non-diabetics?
- Is glaucoma more common in diabetics?
- How often should I see the eye doctor?
- How important is good blood sugar control in preventing diabetic eye problems?
8. Diagnosis: Diabetes and Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Questions that should be asked:
- Why do some diabetics have trouble emptying their stomach?
- How do you treat this?
- Why do some diabetics get diarrhea?
- How do you treat this?
- Why do some diabetics get constipation?
9. Diagnosis: Diabetes and Heart Disease
Questions that should be asked:
- Do diabetic women get heart disease as often as diabetic men do?
- Does diabetes affect the heart muscle?
- Can a diabetic have a heart attack and not feel pain?
- Should a diabetic take a low dose aspirin every day to help prevent heart attacks?
10. Diagnosis: Atherosclerosis
Questions that should be asked:
- Is atherosclerosis the same thing as hardening of the arteries?
- Do diabetics have more atherosclerosis than non-diabetics?
- Does smoking affect the arteries?
- How often should I have my cholesterol checked?
- What are LDL, HDL, and triglycerides?
- Should these be checked?
11. Diagnosis: Hyperthyroidism
Questions that should be asked:
- I have hyperthyroidism (Graves disease). Is treatment with radioactive iodine safe?
- Will it eventually cause hypothyroidism?
- What are the possible complications of thyroid surgery?
- Are anti-thyroid drugs safe?
- Do they affect bone marrow?
- Can they affect the liver?
- If I take these pills for a year, will I have a permanent cure?
- Does an overactive thyroid cause osteoporosis?
12. Diagnosis: The Thyroid
Questions that should be asked:
- What is the best test to determine whether my thyroid is over or under active?
- I have a cold thyroid nodule.
- Should it be removed?
- Is needle biopsy of the thyroid safe?
- How reliable is it in detecting thyroid cancer?
13. Diagnosis: Pheochromocytoma
Questions that should be asked:
- What is a pheochromocytoma?
- What are the symptoms?
- How do you check for it?
- How do you treat it?
14. Diagnosis: Prolactinoma
Questions that should be asked:
- I have been lactating for a month. Why?
- Can any of the drugs I am taking for depression cause this?
- Do I have a pituitary tumor?
- If I have a pituitary tumor can it be treated with medicine?
15. Diagnosis: Cushing's Disease
Questions that should be asked:
- In the past six months I have gained thirty pounds. Can this be due to glandular
disease?
- Why is my muscle strength diminished?
- Why have I developed purple striae on my abdomen?
- Why has my blood pressure recently gone up?
- What is Cushing's disease?
- How do you treat it?
16. Diagnosis: Hyperparathyroidism
Questions that should be asked:
- My blood calcium is elevated. What are the possible causes for this?
- I take a lot of vitamins, especially A and D. Can this cause an increase in blood
calcium?
- Could I have an overactive parathyroid gland?
- Do all overactive parathyroid glands have to be surgically removed?
Marvin E. Levin, MD Clinical Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine Washington
University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO