Presentation
Clinical description The disease presents a bimodal age distribution with a rare subset presenting in the first years of life, particularly associated to McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS; see this term). [orpha.net]
Adrenal gland diseases can cause hypokalemia because aldosterone--a hormone produced by the adrenal glands--determines how much potassium is present in the body. [livestrong.com]
These different diseases present in different forms and vary widely with no two patients presenting with the same symptoms. [drlam.com]
Depends on the course of the disease: acute stage: the patient presents with fever, back pain, hypotension, weakness chronic stage : progressive lethargy, weakness, cutaneous pigmentation, weight loss Laboratory data chemistry: hyponatremia, hyperkalemia [radiopaedia.org]
Hyperkalemia should be controlled, if present. Paraneoplastic process Approximately 2% of children with neuroblastoma present with opsoclonus-myoclonus. The cause of this manifestation is unclear. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Entire Body System
- Fatigue
The Mayo Clinic defines adrenal fatigue as "a term applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems." [livescience.com]
Adrenal Gland Fatigue: Do you know what is adrenal gland fatigue? The term seems intriguing. In fact, it is a syndrome or a collection of symptoms and signs. The condition results from the abnormal functioning of the suprarenal glands. [organsofthebody.com]
Symptoms include: Low energy state and fatigue, with low exercise tolerance level and fatigue on exertion. Low cardiac output, leading to congestive heart failure. [drlam.com]
Wilson’s book Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome. For more information, see our FAQ on adrenal fatigue. * This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. [adrenalfatigue.org]
Gastrointestinal
- Nausea
Some people experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Adrenal insufficiency is treated with hormones that replace the hormones your body is lacking. [hormone.org]
Some common symptoms of hypoadrenalism are fatigue, dizziness, muscle weakness, nausea and loss of appetite. [washendo.com]
Signs and symptoms may include: Extreme fatigue Weight loss and decreased appetite Darkening of your skin (hyperpigmentation) Low blood pressure, even fainting Salt craving Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) Nausea, diarrhea or vomiting (gastrointestinal [mayoclinic.org]
[…] weakness Fatigue Dizziness Rapid pulse Dark skin (first noted on hands and face) Black freckles Bluish-black discoloration around the nipples, mouth, rectum, scrotum, or vagina Weight loss Dehydration Loss of appetite Intense salt craving Muscle aches Nausea [stanfordchildrens.org]
- Abdominal Pain
Seek emergency medical treatment if you experience the following signs and symptoms: Severe weakness Confusion Pain in your lower back or legs Severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, leading to dehydration Reduced consciousness or delirium In an [mayoclinic.org]
Symptoms of chronic adrenal insufficiency include low blood pressure, fatigue, weight loss, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, salt craving and low blood sugar. Skin and mucous membranes may show increased pigmentation. [yourhormones.info]
Patients may also experience abdominal pain, flank pain or a feeling of abdominal fullness, especially when the adrenal tumor gets very large. Not all cancers found in adrenal glands originate from the gland itself. [hopkinsmedicine.org]
Hypokalemia can cause weakness in the smooth muscles of the digestive tract, and this can cause constipation, abdominal pain and bloating. [livestrong.com]
All adrenal gland disorders may cause abdominal pain, weakness, weight loss or gain, and fatigue. Specific symptoms of certain disorders may also include the following. Adrenal cancer or other adrenal tumors may cause abdominal pain and weight loss. [denverurology.com]
Cardiovascular
- Hypotension
Depends on the course of the disease: acute stage: the patient presents with fever, back pain, hypotension, weakness chronic stage : progressive lethargy, weakness, cutaneous pigmentation, weight loss Laboratory data chemistry: hyponatremia, hyperkalemia [radiopaedia.org]
Additional signs and symptoms include weakness, tiredness, dizziness, low blood pressure that falls further when standing ( orthostatic hypotension ), cardiovascular collapse, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. [en.wikipedia.org]
Symptoms of adrenal gland disorders may include: dizziness excessive fatigue sweating nausea vomiting increased salt cravings low blood sugar low blood pressure, also known as hypotension irregular periods dark patches on your skin muscle and joint pain [healthline.com]
[…] imbalance can, however, be a contributing factor in a wide range of medical conditions, many of which may seem unrelated, including the following: Arthritis Chronic fatigue syndrome Depression and anxiety Fibromyalgia IBS or chronic digestive problems Hypotension [marcellepick.com]
Skin
- Hirsutism
Nonclassic form In the nonclassic (relatively mild) form, patients present late with precocious pubarche or problems related to androgen excess, including hirsutism, menstrual irregularities, and infertility. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Mild overproduction of androgens is common but may lead only to increased hair growth ( hirsutism ). True virilizing disease is rare, affecting only about 1 or 2 of every 100,000 women. [cushings-help.com]
Workup
The first step in the workup of a patient with suspected hyperaldosteronism is to confirm the diagnosis (see the image below). Diagnostic workup of hyperaldosteronism. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Anytime anyone presents with fatigue and low energy state, a complete cardiac, hormonal, hematological, oncological and metabolic workup is needed. When the result is normal and out of the box a different diagnosis needs to be considered. [drlam.com]
Those with these symptoms deserve compassion, a thorough workup looking for recognized (but often overlooked) medical causes, and a thoughtful treatment plan. [thyroid.about.com]
^ Addison Disease~workup at eMedicine Further reading [ edit ] Bornstein, SR; Allolio, B; Arlt, W; Barthel, A; Don-Wauchope, A; Hammer, GD; Husebye, ES; Merke, DP; Murad, MH; Stratakis, CA; Torpy, DJ (February 2016). [en.wikipedia.org]
Serum
- Hyponatremia
Consequently, most common symptoms can be traced back to a root adrenal hormone; for example, hyponatremia and hyperkalemia are produced due to the lack of aldosterone to encourage reabsorption of sodium and excretion of potassium. [washendo.com]
Depends on the course of the disease: acute stage: the patient presents with fever, back pain, hypotension, weakness chronic stage : progressive lethargy, weakness, cutaneous pigmentation, weight loss Laboratory data chemistry: hyponatremia, hyperkalemia [radiopaedia.org]
At the same time mild hyperkalemia (6.0 mmol/L) and hyponatremia (132 mmol/L) were diagnosed and treated symptomatically. In the next two months she felt worse, lose about 30 kg. The laboratory exams confirmed the failure of the adrenals. [endocrine-abstracts.org]
Confusion Pain in your lower back or legs Severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, leading to dehydration Reduced consciousness or delirium In an addisonian crisis you will also have: Low blood pressure High potassium (hyperkalemia) and low sodium (hyponatremia [mayoclinic.org]
This removes the tonic vagal and glossopharyngeal inhibition on the central release of ADH : high levels of ADH will ensue, which will subsequently lead to increase in water retention and hyponatremia. [en.wikipedia.org]
- Cortisol Increased
This is sensed by the pituitary, which therefore will increase the release of ACTH, which in turn stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce more cortisol. [netdoctor.co.uk]
Treatment
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[…] for Cushing's syndrome: Treatment for Cushing's syndrome depends on its cause. [shifrinmd.com]
Treatment for Conn's syndrome varies depending on its severity. [washendo.com]
Treatment of hyperadrenalism will vary depending on which hormone is creating the problem, its underlying cause, and the severity of the symptoms. [decorlando.com]
At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you. Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. [massgeneral.org]
Prognosis
Prognosis Prognosis after treatment is good but quality of life may be affected due to the long-term effects of hypercortisolemia. Without treatment the disease is life-threatening as in the case of manifest hypercortisolism. [orpha.net]
[…] adrenalitis): enlargement of both adrenal glands, with necrotic centers and peripheral enhancing rims chronic : both adrenal glands appear small and atrophic, associated with calcifications ( adrenal calcification ) in granulomatous adrenalitis Treatment and prognosis [radiopaedia.org]
What is the prognosis with a pheochromocytoma? Pheochromocytoma is benign in most cases, and if blood pressure-related surgical complications can be avoided, the likelihood of cure is excellent. [medicinenet.com]
Etiology
Etiology The exact etiology is unknown but the adrenal overgrowth seen in AIMAH may be due to the expression of aberrant membrane receptors found in the adrenal cortex that regulate cortisol secretion and which are stimulated by gastric inhibitory polypeptide [orpha.net]
ETIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS• Tuberculosis (TB) :TB is an infection which usually affects the lungs. [slideshare.net]
Secondary adrenal insufficiency due to lack of stimulation of the gland is a more common etiology overall. [radiopaedia.org]
At 1855, when Addison described it tuberculosis (TB) was the main etiology. May be we are coming to that time. TB is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. [endocrine-abstracts.org]
Epidemiology
Summary Epidemiology Prevalence of endogenous CS is estimated at 1/26,000 and AIMAH represents less than 1% of the cases. [orpha.net]
Pathophysiology
Yen and Jaffe’s reproductive endocrinology: physiology, pathophysiology, and clinical management. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Elservier Saunders; 2014. p. 551–64. CrossRef Google Scholar 3. Auchus RJ. [link.springer.com]
[…] the body, especially lung ), hemorrhage (e.g. in Waterhouse–Friderichsen syndrome or antiphospholipid syndrome ), particular infections ( tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis ), or the deposition of abnormal protein in amyloidosis. [22] Pathophysiology [en.wikipedia.org]
Prevention
Can adrenal disease be prevented? Newer research has shown that annual insertion of deslorelin (Suprelorin-F) implants in November or December may delay or prevent the onset of adrenal disease as the ferret matures. [petcarevb.com]
By HealthLink on Air • Jan 30, 2016 Prevention is the best way to control Lyme disease, by dressing properly for the outdoors, checking skin afterward and quickly and carefully removing any ticks. On this week's show, Dr. Caitlin Sgarlet and Dr. [wrvo.org]
Until a few years ago, the only treatment available for this ultimately fatal condition was surgery to remove the cancerous gland(s) – a procedure that carries a great deal of risk and that doesn’t prevent the development of the disease in the remaining [avianexoticsvet.com]
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. [adrenalfatigue.org]
Prevention Addison's disease can't be prevented, but there are steps you can take to avoid an addisonian crisis: Talk to your doctor if you always feel tired, weak, or are losing weight. Ask about having an adrenal shortage. [mayoclinic.org]