This document discusses three medical suffixes: -tropin, -emic, and their meanings and usage. -tropin indicates a hormone that stimulates an organ or system, like gonadotropin which stimulates the gonads. Somatotropin stimulates growth and activity of the body. -emic pertains to blood conditions, like hyperglycemic meaning abnormally high blood sugar, and hypokalemic meaning a potassium deficiency in the blood. Examples of terms using each suffix are provided along with their meanings.

1. 11D: Endocrine System
Suffixes
By Tyler Sims

2. -tropin
to stimulate
How The Suffix Is Used:
• The suffix is often used to describe stimulating effects of a hormone on an organ
or a system.
Examples of Medical Terms:
• Gonadotropin
• Somatotropin

3. Gonadotropin
– is a hormone that stimulates growth and activity of the gonads (testes &
ovaries).
Combining form
• gonad/o- : sex glands.
Suffix
• -*tropin : to stimulate.
What is it?
• Gonadotropins are hormones such as luteinizing hormones, and follicle-stimulating
hormones that are secreted from cells in the anterior pituitary gland. They stimulate the
gonads (testes, ovaries).

4. Somatotropin
– is a hormone that stimulates growth and activity of the body (growth
hormone)
Combining form
• somat/o- : body.
Suffix
• *-tropin : to stimulate.
What is it?
• A somatotropin is the growth hormone responsible for stimulating growth and
the reproduction of cells. It is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.

5. -emic
pertaining to a blood condition
How The Suffix Is Used:
• The suffix is used to describe conditions of the blood (such as, anemia,
hyperglycemia, etc.).
Examples of Medical Terminology Use:
• Hyperglycemic
• Hypokalemic

6. Hyperglycemic
– abnormally high amounts of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
Prefix
• hyper- : excessive.
Combining form
• glyc/o- : sugar.
Suffix
• *-emic : pertaining to a blood condition.
What is it?
• Hyperglycemic conditions are when there are abnormally high amounts of sugar in the blood. This is
often a symptom of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Insulin is the treatment for hyperglycemia.

7. Hypokalemic
– deficiency of potassium in the blood.
Prefix
• hypo- : inufficient.
Combining form
• kal/i- : potassium.
Suffix
• *-emic : pertaining to a blood condition.
What is it?
• A person who has hypokalemia where there is a deficiency of potassium in the blood would experience tingling
numbness, vomiting, diarrhea, and many other symptoms. A treatment for hypokalemia would be to have a set intake
of potassium.