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Home :: Family Health :: Addison's Disease Addison's Disease - Addison's Disease symptom, treatment, causes
A rare disorders resulting from the cortex (outside part) of the adrenal glands (located at the upper end of each kidney) failing to produce hormones. These hormones are vital to many essential bodily functions, including the breaking down and use of carbohydrates and control of body salts; maintaining adequate blood pressure and blood sugar; stress response; and healing. The adrenal glands may be damaged or destroyed by AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE (in which the immune system produces antibiotics that attck one or more of the body's own tissues), tumours, or chronic infections such as tuberculosis. Addison's disease is an endocrine or hormonal disorder that occurs in all age groups and afflects men and women equally. The adrenal glands are really two endocrine ductless or hormone producing glands in one. This condition is also called primary adrenal insufficiency. In a person with Addison's disease, only the adrenal cortex is affected. The person cannot produce enough glucocorticoid or cortisol and, occasionally, also fails to produce sufficient mineralocorticoid or aldosterone. When the adrenal glands become underactive, they tend to produce inadequate amounts of all of the adrenal hormones. There is a chronic deficiency of cortisol, aldosterone and adrenal androgens (hormones made in the adrenal glands). The person cannot produce enough glucocorticoid or cortisol and, occasionally, also fails to produce sufficient mineralocorticoid or aldosterone.The signs of addison's disease may be severe and appear suddenly, or may occur intermittently and vary in severity. In a crisis situation this disorder must be treated more aggressively with intravenous fluids, glucocorticoids and correction of acid balances. People with addison's disease are not able to produce additional corticosteroids when they are stressed. Adrenal Insufficiency A person who is developing Addison's disease may experience: . Extreme weakness and fatigue. Symptom of Addison's DiseaseThe failure of the adrenal glands may be very gradual, causing an insidious worsening over months or years of weakness, lethargy, fainting, nausea, vomiting, diarhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and darkening of the skin and mouth lining. During the course of the illness, stresses such as infection, injury or surgery may trigger an acute episode of severe symptoms called with low blood pressure extreme weakness and mental confusion that may progressto coma. . Listlessness, lack of energy The doctor will discover Blood pressure readings <110/70mm. Hg. Treatment of Addison's DiseasePatients of Addison's Disease will have to take CORTICOSTEROID drugs for the rest of their lives. People with Addison's Disease are wanted to contact their doctor without delay at the first sign of infection or if they are injured, as they will need increased doses to help the body cope with any stress. Diagnosis of Addison's DiseaseIf Addison's Disease is suspected, blood tests will confermed reduced adrenal hormone levels and disturbed metabolism of salts and carbohydrates. Treatment of Addison's Disease is with hormone replacement, using hydrocortisone. Adrenal crisis is a life-threatening emergency. It can follow hemorrhage into both adrenal glands in severe infections. It is common in children with severe infections. The commonest cause is an abrupt withdrawal of steroids after long-term treatment of Addison's Disease.
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