Adrenal Gland Disorders

Adrenal gland disorders occur when the concentration of adrenal hormones produced is too high or too low.

Adrenal insufficiency occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol and aldosterone.

Addison’s disease is a type of adrenal insufficiency of the cortex due to the deficiency of cortisol and aldosterone. A patient with this condition has bronzing skin and symptoms including dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic condition with insufficient cortisol production, causes premature puberty in adolescents. In females, this causes ambiguous genitalia.

In contrast, when the adrenal gland produces too much cortisol, it results in Cushing's syndrome. Patients have rapid protein loss in their muscles and bones. Other symptoms include diabetes, high blood pressure, excessive weight gain, and edema.

Another adrenal disorder occurs when medullary chromaffin cell tumors called pheochromocytoma produce elevated levels of catecholamines. This causes uncontrolled sympathetic nervous system activity. Patients have elevated blood pressure, excessive sweating, rapid heart rate, and anxiety.

Treatments for these conditions include medication, surgery, and lifestyle changes.