Hormonal drugs in acute situations
During an acute situation, such as an operation or even in the event of circulatory arrest, shock or cardiac arrest, a doctor may administer certain hormonal drugs to a patient. These are usually given (applied) via the vein, a blood vessel that usually transports blood that is low in oxygen. These are, for example, the hormone adrenaline or the hormone noradrenaline.
These ensure that the patient’s circulation is stimulated. The heart rate increases and the pulse becomes faster. This can be very helpful in acute situations, which is why certain hormonal medications are indispensable here.
Hormonal drugs for osteoporosis
In osteoporosis, bone density decreases, causing the bones, especially in the spine, to collapse further and further, which can sometimes lead to fractures. Patients beyond the menopause are particularly affected by osteoporosis. To reduce osteoporosis, hormonal drugs containing the hormone calcitonin can be taken.
These hormonal drugs ensure that the bone density increases again, giving the bone a denser structure and preventing it from collapsing so easily. However, since a hormonal drug containing the hormone calcitonin also seems to increase the risk of cancer, the drug is rarely used. Instead, the so-called bisphosphonates are used.
Hormonal drugs for kidney failure
In the case of kidney failure (renal insufficiency), the hormone erythropoitin (EPO for short) cannot be produced in sufficient quantities. However, this hormone is crucial for the formation of new red blood cells (erythrocytes). If the kidney is no longer able to produce sufficient erythropoitin due to kidney failure, it must be injected under the skin in the form of a hormonal drug. However, EPO has often been abused by various top athletes by injecting the drug to increase the number of red blood cells and thus improve performance in sports. However, this type of doping is strictly prohibited and can lead to athletes being disqualified from competition or not being allowed to win.
Hormonal drugs with somatostatin
There are three different diseases for which therapy with hormonal drugs containing somatostatin as a hormone makes sense.On the one hand, such drugs can be used in patients suffering from abnormal (pathological) altitude growth (acromegaly), which is caused by too many growth hormones being produced in the pituitary gland (hypophysis), usually due to a tumor. In this case, hormonal drugs with the component somatostatin can help to stop the growth of the patients and thus relieve the associated symptoms. Another indication for hormonal drugs with the component somatostatin is a neuroendocrine tumor, a so-called carcinoid. Hormonal drugs with somatostatin can also be used in portal hypertension, i.e. high blood pressure in the portal vein leading to the liver.
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