title: Pharmacological options in the treatment of acromegaly.
abstract: The last decade has seen two major changes in the management of patients with growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary tumors. Firstly, evidence has revealed a common pattern of increased mortality in patients with elevated GH and/or the target growth factor insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Secondly, the availability of highly specific and selective pharmacological agents to lower GH and/or IGF-I levels has greatly facilitated a more aggressive approach to the treatment of patients with persistently active acromegaly. This review will summarize the current major classes of pharmacotherapeutic agents with special emphasis on their recognized benefits and risks.
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada. sezzat@mtsinai.on.ca
authors.forename: Shereen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ezzat
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013004:Somatostatin; D013006:Growth Hormone