treatment
Last reviewed 01/2018
Treatment is dependent on cause:
- sex hormones:
- cyclical oestrogen with low-dose progesterone if uterus intact in women; if premenopausal, consider an oral oestrogen contraceptive since ovulation and conception may occur in hypopituitarism
- testosterone in men - depot or subcutaneous
- thyroxine - 100-200 mcg daily in a single dose
- hydrocortisone - 10-20 mg in the morning, 10 mg in late afternoon - mineralocorticoids not needed
- growth hormone replacement therapy in adults
- intranasal desmopressin if diabetes insipidus - 10 mcg once or twice daily
Note that if there is combined adrenal and thyroid failure, an adrenal crisis may be precipitated by starting thyroxine replacement before corticosteroids.