Glucagon — An Important Therapeutic Agent

Abstract

Endocrinology is finding an increasing role and importance in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine. Hormones clearly mediate much of the body’s homeostatic response to critical illness [5]. For example, catecholamines, aldosterone and anti-diuretic hormone are each released into the circulation during states of hypotension and shock. Endocrine and metabolic problems are common in critically ill patients. More than two-thirds of critically ill patients manifest abnormalities (at least biochemically) in either thyroid function [20], calcium metabolism [2, 21], or magnesium metabolism [19]. Hormones are also important therapeutic agents. Many hormones, peptides and receptor antagonists have been considered in the treatment of shock [6]. The purpose of this paper is to review the pharmacology and physiology of the hormone glucagon — as it applies to critical and emergency care.KeywordsCardiogenic ShockAlcoholic HepatitisCardiovascular ActionEndotoxin ShockGlucagon ConcentrationThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.