Addison's disease

Question 1

Addison’s disease =

Answer 1

primary adrenal insufficieny

Question 2

symptoms…

Answer 2

anorexia
weight loss
pigmentation
low systolic blood pressure
untreated is fatal in 2 years

Question 3

blood tests;

Answer 3

low [Na+], low [glucose], low blood plasma volume, low cortisol response to ACTH

Question 4

causes…

Answer 4

autoimmune disease

tuberculosis

= cortisol and aldosterone deficiency

Question 5

1) how does short term prednisolone therapy ameliorate flare ups of rheumatoid arthritis?
2) why would this treatment be insufficient for addisons disease?

Answer 5

1)
rheumatoid arthritis = autoimmune inflammation of the joints

prednisolone = synthetic glucocorticoid with anti inflammatory and immunosupressive properties - inhibits Tcell and Bcell activation

2)
addisons disease = destruction of adrenal tissue = deficiency of cortisol (a glucocortisoid) and aldosterone ( a mineralocorticoid)

prednisolone wont compensate for lack of aldosterone

Question 6

anti-inflammatory actions of glucocorticoids:

Answer 6

induce lipocortin which inhibits PLA2

inhibit cyclooxygenase

inhibit production and action of leukotrienes

reduce antibody production

Question 7

adrenal cortex secretes…

Answer 7

aldosterone = a mineralocorticoid

cortisol = a glucocorticoid