katyzzzAddison's disease
November 9th 2006 10:58
Addison's disease :
Addison's disease is a condition that occurs when the adrenal cortex fails to produce enough of its hormones.
Causes :
Formerly, the cause of this disease was often tuberculosis or a fungal infection. However, in recent years, the disease is more likely to be idiopathic (of unknown cause). One theory is that most cases are due to autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex (that is, the body produces antibodies against its own tissues). Other known causes of Addison's disease include partial destruction of the adrenal cortex by cancer, surgery, degeneration of the tissue, or deposition of a substance called amyloid.
A similar condition, known as secondary adrenal insufficiency, is caused by failure of the pituitary gland to produce enough adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce its hormones.
Symptoms :
Early symptoms of Addison's disease are weakness, fatigue, and a tendency to become faint when rising suddenly from a bed or chair. Increased pigmentation of the skin, producing a "tan" all over the body, on exposed and unexposed areas alike, with even darker pigmentation on creases and bony pressure points, occurs in most cases. In certain places, the tan may be broken by completely white patches, known as vitiligo. Black freckles appear on the forehead, face, shoulders, and neck. There may be skin discoloration around the nipples, and the mucous membranes of the mouth may have dark-blue patches.
Symptoms that may appear later include weight loss, dehydration (excessive loss of body fluids), low blood pressure, and sometimes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, an inability to get or stay warm, and a loss of appetite.
The most alarming symptoms are those of a condition called adrenal crisis, which requires immediate attention and hospitalization. Signs of this are extreme weakness; severe pains in the lower back, abdomen, or legs; shock (collapse of the circulatory system); and renal shutdown (kidney failure). Such a crisis may be brought on by severe stress, such as infection, injury, or surgery. It can also be caused by a loss of salt through perspiration during hot weather.
Diagnosis :
One laboratory sign of Addison's disease is a high level of ACTH but a low level of cortisol (one of the adrenal gland hormones) in the blood. This indicates that the pituitary gland is working overtime, stimulating the adrenal cortex with ACTH to produce cortisol, but that the cortex is failing to produce it.
Treatment :
The basic treatment for Addison's disease is to provide steroid hormones, principally cortisone, to replace those not being produced by the adrenal cortex. An additional steroid drug may be prescribed to promote retention of salt, and thereby water, in tissues and blood, so that the low blood pressure of severe Addison's disease can be avoided.
Addison's disease is a condition that occurs when the adrenal cortex fails to produce enough of its hormones.
Causes :
Formerly, the cause of this disease was often tuberculosis or a fungal infection. However, in recent years, the disease is more likely to be idiopathic (of unknown cause). One theory is that most cases are due to autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex (that is, the body produces antibodies against its own tissues). Other known causes of Addison's disease include partial destruction of the adrenal cortex by cancer, surgery, degeneration of the tissue, or deposition of a substance called amyloid.
A similar condition, known as secondary adrenal insufficiency, is caused by failure of the pituitary gland to produce enough adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce its hormones.
Symptoms :
Early symptoms of Addison's disease are weakness, fatigue, and a tendency to become faint when rising suddenly from a bed or chair. Increased pigmentation of the skin, producing a "tan" all over the body, on exposed and unexposed areas alike, with even darker pigmentation on creases and bony pressure points, occurs in most cases. In certain places, the tan may be broken by completely white patches, known as vitiligo. Black freckles appear on the forehead, face, shoulders, and neck. There may be skin discoloration around the nipples, and the mucous membranes of the mouth may have dark-blue patches.
Symptoms that may appear later include weight loss, dehydration (excessive loss of body fluids), low blood pressure, and sometimes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, an inability to get or stay warm, and a loss of appetite.
The most alarming symptoms are those of a condition called adrenal crisis, which requires immediate attention and hospitalization. Signs of this are extreme weakness; severe pains in the lower back, abdomen, or legs; shock (collapse of the circulatory system); and renal shutdown (kidney failure). Such a crisis may be brought on by severe stress, such as infection, injury, or surgery. It can also be caused by a loss of salt through perspiration during hot weather.
Diagnosis :
One laboratory sign of Addison's disease is a high level of ACTH but a low level of cortisol (one of the adrenal gland hormones) in the blood. This indicates that the pituitary gland is working overtime, stimulating the adrenal cortex with ACTH to produce cortisol, but that the cortex is failing to produce it.
Treatment :
The basic treatment for Addison's disease is to provide steroid hormones, principally cortisone, to replace those not being produced by the adrenal cortex. An additional steroid drug may be prescribed to promote retention of salt, and thereby water, in tissues and blood, so that the low blood pressure of severe Addison's disease can be avoided.
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