Essay Health disease

Adrenal issues :

Cushing's syndrome (excess cortisol)

Causes:
 Pituitary tumour (Cushing’s disease) producing ACTH
 Ectopic ACTH producing tumour
 Autonomous adrenal adenoma
Symptoms:
 Obesity
 Moon face
 Hypertension
 Purple striae
 Muscle atrophy
 Osteoporosis

Treatment
 Surgery/radiotherapy for a pituitary tumour
 11-hydroxylase inhibitor drugs to prevent the synthesis of cortisol (short-term treatment
to alleviate symptoms)
• Metyrapone- https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/metyrapone.html


Addison's disease (shortage of glucocorticoids)
https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/addisons-disease/

Cause: An autoimmune disease that attacks the adrenal cortex

Symptoms:
• Increased ACTH
• Fatigue - hypoglycaemia
• Weight loss
• Skin pigmentation
• Ion imbalance

Treatment:
 Corticosteroid replacement
 Cortisol replacement therapy = hydrocortisone
 Mineralocorticoid replacement
 Aldosterone = fludrocortisone

Primary hyperaldosteronism (Conn’s syndrome)
https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/search?ps=40&q=Hyperaldosteronism
Causes:
 Hyperplasia – enlarged adrenal glands oversecreting cortisol and mineralocorticoids