Medical Consequences of Long-term Treatment of Acromegaly

Abstract

This article discusses the impact of long-term treatment of acromegaly on cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory and articular complications as well as on malignancies. The main goals of treatment of acromegaly include normalisation of biochemical markers of disease activity, improvement in signs and symptoms of the disease, removal or reduction of tumour mass and preservation of pituitary function, together with prevention of complications. Cardiovascular and respiratory complications are the main causes of morbidity and mortality, whereas neoplasms are a minor cause of increased risk of death. Other associated diseases are arthropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome and reproductive disorders. The prolonged elevation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I levels results in premature death, whereas strong biochemical control improves wellbeing and restores life expectancy to normal.