Adrenal Gland - Diseases Involving The Adrenal Glands

Diseases Involving The Adrenal Glands

  • Several adrenal tumors cause symptoms because they result in the over- or underproduction of certain hormones by the adrenal gland.
  • In hyperaldosteronism the adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone.
  • In pheochromocytoma the adrenal glands secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines.
  • In endogenous Cushing's syndrome the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol.
  • Adrenal insufficiency denotes a group of diseases characterized by underproduction of cortisol or aldosterone. They can be caused by problems in the adrenal glands themselves, or by impairment of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.
    • Addison's disease is a rare disorder in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient amounts of glucocorticoids (mainly cortisol). This can be caused by an autoimmune reaction, by certain infections or by some other rarer causes.
    • Congenital adrenal hyperplasias are genetic defects of enzymes involved in cortisol production and can affect sex characteristics of affected patients.
    • Waterhouse–Friderichsen syndrome is adrenal gland failure due to bleeding into the adrenal glands, caused by severe bacterial infection.

The ACTH stimulation test may be used to diagnose some of these conditions.

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