Clinical Note, Addison's Disease

Question 1

What is addison’s disease?

Answer 1

a condition causing adrenal insufficiency, when the adrenal glands don’t make enough cortisol, aldostrone and androgens

Question 2

what will addison’s disease most commonly present with?

Answer 2

glucocorticoid deficiency flollowed by mineralocorticoid deficiency

Question 3

primary insufficiency

Answer 3

autoimmune destruction of the adrenal glands is the most common cause of addison’s disease

Question 4

secondary insufficiency

Answer 4

occurs due to supression of ACTH synthesis, which results in a reduction of glucocorticoid production (often drug use related)

Question 5

clinical manifestations include:

Answer 5

• often begins with non-specific symptoms causing incorrect diagnosis
• fatigue, generalized weakness, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, tachycardia, and/or postural hypotension
• eventually becomes an adrenal crisis causing hypotension, hyponatremia, hyperkalaemia and hypoglycaemia

Question 6

treatment of addison’s disease

Answer 6

corticosteroid replacement therapy for life to replace the hormones cortisol and aldosterone in particular