Blood pressure, fluid and electrolyte balance, blood levels of glucose, heart rate and the body's metabolism are a few things regulated by hormones. Endocrine glands are ductless, meaning that they have no openings, and they help produce and secrete hormones. When endocrine glands are affected by tumors, infections or other factors, they may begin to secrete excessive or inadequate quantities of hormones. This results in hormonal imbalance which may affect the body adversely.
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force that blood exerts on the walls of the arteries. When blood moves through the arteries, it pushes against their walls. High blood pressure is detrimental to health because it can damage the arteries and cause problems like stroke and heart failure. Certain hormones like adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol affect blood pressure. An imbalance in these hormones and some others can lead to high blood pressure. Some hormonal disorders that cause high blood pressure are Cushing's syndrome, a disease that involves high cortisol levels; hyperthyroidism, which is due to production of too much thyroid hormone; hyperaldosteronism, which results from overproduction of aldosterone; and pheochromocytoma, a tumor in the adrenal gland that leads to high levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the body.
Blood Sugar Levels
The pancreas produces and releases a hormone called insulin. This hormone is responsible for moving glucose from the bloodstream and into the cells. When the pancreas produces little to no insulin or when the body does not use insulin properly, diabetes occurs. Diabetes is a disease marked by abnormally high blood levels of glucose. Some of the effects of diabetes on the body include unintended weight loss, nerve damage which causes loss of sensation, excessive thirst and urinating frequently. Diabetes also increases an individuals risk of developing diseases like stroke, heart attack and kidney failure because too much glucose in the blood can damage the blood vessels.
Growth
The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland situated in the brain. It synthesizes several hormones including growth hormone which controls growth and development of the body. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Dictionary suggests that gigantism and acromegaly are hormonal disorders that occur when the pituitary gland overproduces growth hormone. Gigantism affects children, while acromegaly is seen in adults. Children who have gigantism are typically tall. Adults with acromegaly do not grow taller, but develop thicker bones. They will have enlarged features such as a large jaw and big hands.
