Hyperprolactinemia: prevalence, diagnosis, cause and consequences

Abstract

Hyperprolactinemia is a hormonal disorder related to the hypothalamus-pituitary axis, it is diagnosed by a high serum level of prolactin, in women from 20 to 25 ng/ml and in men, 17 ng/ml, this disorder can have various causes. The objective of this research work is to analyze the prevalence, diagnosis, causes and consequences of hyperprolactinemia. For this, a documentary-type descriptive methodology was designed, where a bibliographic review was carried out, the results showed that the prevalence is established at less than 1% worldwide, although in certain specific populations a prevalence of 50% more or less is reached, the diagnosis was made by measuring prolactin levels, in addition to other resources such as liquid chromatography or magnetic resonance imaging, this disorder can be caused by various factors, such as the use of antipsychotics, motherhood and lactation, or the presence of other diseases such as kidney failure. As for the consequences, there may be hormonal alterations such as delayed puberty, amenorrhea, galactorrhea, and in men sexual dysfunction and various other consequences that compromise the health status of the person suffering from this disorder can manifest, so the measurement of levels Thyrotropin and prolactin levels are excellent biomarkers for the diagnosis of hyperprolactinemia except in clinical conditions such as antipsychotic induction or chronic renal failure, and analysis by liquid chromatography or magnetic resonance imaging can improve this process.