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Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones. The adrenal glands—also referred to as the adrenal cortex—normally secrete glucocorticoids (primarily cortisol ), mineralocorticoids (primarily aldosterone ), and androgens .
An "adrenal crisis" or "Addisonian crisis" is a constellation of symptoms that indicates severe adrenal insufficiency. This may be the result of either previously undiagnosed Addison's disease, a disease process suddenly affecting adrenal function (such as adrenal hemorrhage ), or an intercurrent problem (e.g., infection, trauma) in someone ...
Adrenal crisis is a serious, life-threatening complication of adrenal insufficiency. Hypotension , or hypovolemic shock , is the main symptom of adrenal crisis, other indications and symptoms include weakness , anorexia , nausea , vomiting, fever, fatigue , abnormal electrolytes , confusion , and coma. [ 19 ]
Diseases classified as primary adrenal insufficiency (including Addison's disease and genetic causes) directly affect the adrenal cortex. If a problem that affects the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis arises outside the gland, it is a secondary adrenal insufficiency .
The adrenal glands produce important hormones that have specific roles in the homeostasis of the body, which are regulated by other glands. These hormones include aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid that regulates the amount of salt in tissue and body fluids, cortisol, a glucocorticoid that regulates metabolism and usage of macronutrients in the body, and sex hormones, such as androgens and ...
During this recovery time, the patient is vulnerable to adrenal insufficiency during times of stress, such as illness. While suppressive dose and time for adrenal recovery vary widely, clinical guidelines have been devised to estimate potential adrenal suppression and recovery, to reduce risk to the patient. The following is one example:
The adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, are typically the first to be affected in pituitary apoplexy. When the stimulating hormone ACTH is not secreted, the adrenals cease to produce cortisol. The pituitary gland consists of two parts, the anterior (front) and posterior (back) pituitary.
In the early 20th Century, numerous adrenal steroids were isolated, and bioassays eventually distinguished glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and androgens. [236] In 1950, Wilkins, Bartter, and Albright revolutionized clinical endocrinology with the use of cortisone to treat CAH and ushered in a productive era of pediatric adrenal research.