Disorders of Adrenal Hormones (glucocorticoids and aldosterone)

Question	Answer
Cushing's syndrome	Chronic glucocorticoid excess
Cushing's syndrome: signs	Striae Buffalo hump Hyperglycaemia Hirsutism + Moon face Poor wound healing
Cushing's syndrome: causes	Exogenous steroid use Disease (ACTH pituitary tumour, bilateral adrenal hyperplasia) Ectopic ACTH tumours Adrenocortical adenoma (ACTH independent)
Dexamethasone suppression test:	If taken the night before should --> decrease in cortisol levels, but there's only partial suppression in cushing's. Dex suppression only occurs at high levels.
Adrenocortical deficiency	Deficient production of glucocorticoids/mineralocorticoids
Addison's disease	Destruction of adrenal cortex Primary adrenocortical deficiency Low mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids
Deficient pituitary ACTH	Secondary adrenocortical deficiency Mineralocorticoids normal Glucocorticoids low
Addison's disease symptoms:	Weakness and fatigue anorexia Buccal hyperpigmentation Salt craving Amenorrhea, less armpit hair
Therapeutic use of glucocorticoids	Replacement therapy (Addison's) Inflammatory disease Neoplastic disease Immunosuppression
Consequences of exogenous steroid use	Suppression of HPA axis and atrophy of adrenal cortex
Conn's syndrome (primary hyperaldosteronism)	Hypokalaemia Hypertension Weakness and fatigue Headache Low plasma renin and high aldosterone

Resource summary

	Created by Bhavi Mistry over 11 years ago