ADDISON’S DISEASE (ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY)

Addison's disease occurs when your body doesn't produce enough of certain hormones. It can occur in all age groups and in both males and females. And this could be life-threatening too. Its treatment involves missing hormones’ replacement. 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ADDISON’S DISEASE 

Addison's disease symptoms mostly develop slowly over several months and might consist of : 

• Extreme fatigue

• Weight loss and decreased appetite

• Darkening of skin, also called hyperpigmentation

• Low blood pressure, including occasional fainting

• Excessive salt craving

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)

• Nausea, diarrhoea or vomiting (GI symptoms)

• Pain in abdomen 

• Muscle and joint pains

• Irritability

• Depression or other behavioral alterations

• Body hair loss 

• Sexual dysfunction in women

• Acute adrenal failure (Addisonian crisis)

Causes

• Damage to Adrenal glands

• Tuberculosis

• Infections of Adrenal glands

• Spread of Cancer to Adrenal glands

• Bleeding into the Adrenal glands

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Diagnosis: Diagnosis of Addison’s disease can be arrived by: 

• Blood tests  that can measure your blood levels of sodium, potassium, cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and to measure antibodies associated .

• ACTH stimulation test to measure cortisol level in your blood. 

• Insulin-induced hypoglycemia test to check your blood sugar (blood glucose) and cortisol levels after an injection of Insulin.

• Imaging tests such as computerised tomography (CT) scan of your abdomen . MRI scan of your pituitary gland too might be advised.

Treatment

• Hormone replacement therapy. 

• Plenty of salt (sodium) intake , especially during heavy exercise, or when the weather is hot or in case of  gastrointestinal upsets, such as diarrhoea is recommended. 

IMPORANT INFORMATION

Complications

1. Addisonian crisis occurs as a result of physical stress ; injury; infection or illness. Normally, the adrenal glands produce two- three times the usual amount of cortisol in response to physical stress. But, with adrenal insufficiency, the inability to increase cortisol production with stress can lead to an Addisonian crisis, which is a life-threatening situation resulting  in low blood pressure, low blood sugar and high levels of potassium in blood. An immediate medical care shall be required.

2. People with Addison's disease generally have associated autoimmune diseases.

Prevention

• Talk to a doctor if you always feel tired, weak, or are losing weight. 

• If you are already diagnosed with Addison's disease, check with the doctor what ought to be done in emergency

• If you happen to become very sick, especially with bouts of vomiting and are unable to continue with  your medicines, reach emergency.