• Pituitary gland - secretes several hormones such as somatotropin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and gonadotropic hormones (FSH, LH, and LTH)
• Adrenal gland - secretes corticosteroids
• Thyroid gland - secretes thyroxine
• Islets of Langerhans - produces insulin

Explain administration practice important to corticosteroid therapy

Intermediate-acting corticosteroids can be given by alternate-day therapy when they are required for extended time periods. Withdrawal of corticosteroids following long-term therapy should always be gradual with step-down (i.e. tapering) dosage to allow the body's normal hormone production and regulation to return. Because of potentially serious side effects, corticosteroids are administered for as short a time as possible and locally if possible to reduce systematic effects.

1. Muscle pain or weakness
2. Osteoporosis with fractures, especially in older women
3. Stunting of growth in children (premature closure of bone ends)
4. Gastric or esophageal irritation, ulceration, or hemorrhage

• Patients being treated for hypothyroidism should be instructed regarding importance of taking the prescribed dosage of thyroid medication consistently every day and reporting of any symptoms of overdose.
• Patients being treated with antithyroid medication should be instructed to notify the physician immediately of signs of illness.

• Side effects of thyroid agents due to overdose include: palpitations, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, increased blood pressure, nervousness, tremor, headache, insomnia, weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, intolerance to heat, fever, excessive sweating, menstrual irregularities and exopthalmos (bulging eyes).
• Side effects of antithyroid agents are rare and may include: rash, urticaria, pruritus, and blood dyscrasias. 

Taken as a single dose in the morning or divided dose before morning and evening meals.

• S/E of Sulfonylureas hypoglycemic drug may include: weakness, fatigue, lethargy, vertigo, headache, GI distress, dermatological effects including pruritus, rash, urticaria, photosensitivty, hepatic dysfunction including jaundice, blood dyscrasias, including anemia, hypoglycemia, and possible increased risk of caridovascular death-controversial weight gain.
• S/E of Alpha-Glucosidase inhibitors may include: High rate of Gi effects (flatulence, abdominal distention/pain, loose stools), which tend to diminish with time or a reduction in dose; take at the start (with the first bite) of main meals, and elevated liver enzymes, which are dose-related, generally asymptomatic, and reversible.
• S/E of Biguanides may include: GI effects (diarrhea, nausea, vomitting, bloating, flatulence, anorexia, weight loss), which are generally mild and resolve during treatment; can take with food to minimize epigastric discomfort, lactic acidosis (a rare, but serious metabolic complication) in patients with history of ketoacidosis, severe dehydration, cardiorespiratory insufficiency, renal dysfunction, and chronic alcoholism with liver damage, hypoglycemia-rare when used without sulfonylureas or insulin.
• S/E of meglitinides may include: GI effects (nausea/vomitting, diarrhea, constipation, dyspepsia), hypoglycemia; initial weight gain, and upper respiratory infection (URI), sinusitis, arthralgia, headache.
• S/E of thiazolidinediones may include: weight gain, fluid retention, edema (report weight gain over 6.6 lb, suddent onset of edema, or shortness of breath.), URI, sinusitis, pharyngitis, headache, myalgia, anemia, and hypoglycemia (in combination with insulin or ral hypoglycemics)