Addison's Disease - What To Expect?

Damage of the pituitary gland can lead to a condition called secondary adrenal insufficiency. This happens when the pituitary gland produces an insufficient amount of adrenocorticotropic hormone or ACTH, which triggers the cortex to produce its individual hormones. When the level of ACTH diminishes, the level of hormones produced by the cortex also goes down, thereby leading to the development of various disorders.

Adrenal disease is a condition where the adrenal glands in the body produce very less amount of hormones. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that regulate the weight, heart, quality of the skin and the bones and fight infection. Aldosterone is another hormone produced by the adrenal glands that retain salt. The insufficiency of these hormones, a condition that often accompanies Addison s disease, predisposes the body to multifarious disorders.

The inadequate production of the vital hormones that the cortex of the adrenal glands produce need to be compensated by oral consumption of corticosteroids or infusion of corticosteroids into the bloodstream. The doctor might also recommend sodium supplements. Often intravenous injections are given to serious patients. These include Hydrocortisone, Saline solution, Sugar solution.

The adrenal glands are divided into two sections: the inner layer or the medulla that produce the adrenaline hormones and the outer layer or the cortex that produces vital hormones like glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and androgens. When the cortex is damaged these hormones are produced in a lesser amount. The cortex can suffer damage owing to autoimmune disorders whereby the immune system considers the healthy tissues and organs to be foreign and attacks them mistakenly and indiscriminately. Primary adrenal insufficiency can also be caused due to tuberculosis, infections, cancer or internal bleeding in the adrenal glands.