title: Hirsutism: common clinical problem or index of serious disease?
abstract: Hirsutism is a clinical condition commonly encountered in the practice of primary care medicine. The etiology and the age of the patient when it occurs vary widely. Causes range from a basic illness or condition (drug exposure, smoking, idiopathic, and obesity) to complex and serious diseases (Cushing's syndrome, neoplasms, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, insulin-resistance syndromes, hyperprolactinemia, polycystic ovary syndrome, and hyperthecosis). Hirsutism may appear in childhood as well as in older persons. Some drugs (oral contraceptives, L-thyroxine, danazol, and diazoxide), tobacco smoke, some syndromes (polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, hyperprolactinemia, hyperthecosis, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and idiopathic), and some neoplasms (adrenal or ovarian) may lead to hirsutism. The most frequently defined "causes" of hirsutism are polycystic ovary syndrome and idiopathic hirsutism. In hirsutism of gradual onset, hyperprolactinemia, insulin-resistance syndromes, hyperthecosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and idiopathic hirsutism may be responsible. Cushing's syndrome, neoplasms, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia should be suspected if there has been rapid onset.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Fatih University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Zekai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Avci
authors.forename: Bünyamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozkara
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uraldi
authors.forename: Ferhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catal
authors.forename: Elife
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eraslan
authors.forename: Tuncay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Delibasi
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans