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mineralocorticoid

mineralocorticoid

9.9
A hormone from the adrenal gland that controls salt and water in the body
  • noun
  • /ˌmɪnəˈrɑːləkɔːrˌtɪkoʊɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mineralocorticoide
  • The doctor explained that mineralocorticoids play a crucial role in maintaining blood pressure.

Examples

  • Despite these apparent successes, most clinicians do not realize that the renin-angiotensin system is difficult to control in patients with heart failure. When compared with the effect of blockers and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, the magnitude of the clinical benefits associated with inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system in heart failure has been modest.

    Academic text (2016)
  • Mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone help the body retain sodium and excrete potassium.

  • Patients with adrenal deficiencies may need mineralocorticoid supplementation to balance their electrolytes.

Synonyms

corticosterone
vsmineralocorticoid
  • Specialized
3 9.6

A hormone made by the adrenal glands that helps control water and salt balance in the body

names the specific ions sodium and potassium instead of general electrolytes
aldosterone
vsmineralocorticoid
  • Specialized
1 8.7

A hormone from the adrenal gland that controls salt and water in the body and blood pressure

does the same ion regulation role but does not affect blood pressure
deoxycorticosterone
vsmineralocorticoid
  • Specialized
9.9

A hormone made by glands above the kidneys that helps control salt and water in the body

remains a regulatory hormone and is not presented as a treatment

Surface Forms

Morphology

mineralocorticoid = mineral + corticoid (semi-transparent) = mineral + corticoid

Formed from 'mineral' + 'corticoid' (with a linking 'o'); components are semantically interpretable but 'corticoid' and the combining vowel are technical medical elements unlikely to be known by an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Mineralocorticoid brings two ideas together: mineral (think 'salt and other minerals') and corticoid, from cortex meaning 'outer layer'. So a mineralocorticoid is a hormone from the gland's outer layer that helps control the body's minerals like sodium and potassium.