Complications of pituitary disease

The majority of pituitary disorders, including hormone-secreting pituitary tumors and hypopituitarism, are associated with an increased morbidity and mortality, especially for cardiovascular complications. The interplay of central nervous system (CNS) and the endocrine system may contribute to the increasingly identified cognitive dysfunction. The chapter focuses on central diabetes insipidus (DI), which may develop not only in the setting of neurosurgery, but also at the time of patient's presentation when the disease involves the hypothalamus or the pituitary stalk. Pituitary headache tends to be more anterior, bilateral, constant, and of moderately severe to excruciating intensity. Pituitary disease is associated with obesity, and osteoporosis or low bone density. Lesions within the hypothalamus and pituitary region or interventions to treat these lesions can lead to permanent pituitary hormone deficiencies. Pituitary lesions may produce both afferent and efferent visual dysfunction due to the intimate relationships between the pituitary gland and the ocular motor nerves.