Addison’s disease, called primary adrenal deficiency or Addison syndrome, occurs when the adrenal or adrenal glands at the top of the kidneys stop producing the cortisol and aldosterone hormones responsible for control. stress, blood pressure and reduce inflammation. Therefore, the lack of these hormones can cause weakness, an excessive need to consume salt and a feeling of generalized fatigue. To better understand what cortisol is and what it’s for.
This disease can occur in people of any age, men or women, but is more common between the ages of 30 and 40, and can be caused by several factors, such as prolonged use of medications, infections or autoimmune diseases, for example.
- Treatment of Addison’s disease is determined by the endocrinologist based on the evaluation of symptoms and the dose of hormones through a blood test and usually involves hormonal supplementation.
Symptoms appear when hormone levels drop, which may include
Because you don’t have specific symptoms, Addison’s disease is often mistaken for other conditions, such as influenza or depression, delaying the correct diagnosis.
Diagnosis is made by clinical, laboratory, and imaging tests, such as CT, MRI, and complete blood formula to check the concentration of sodium and potassium in your blood, in addition to the amount of leukocytes and lymphocytes in circulation. In some cases, the ACTH stimulation test, in which cortisol concentration is measured before and after application of ACTH synthetic injection, may be necessary. Find out how the ACTH exam is taking place and how to prepare for it.
Diagnosis of Addison’s disease is usually done in more advanced stages, as wear and tear of the adrenal or adrenal glands occurs slowly, making it difficult to identify the first symptoms.
Addison’s disease is usually caused by autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system begins to attack the body itself, which can interfere with the functioning of the adrenal glands. However, it can also be caused by fungal infections, viruses or bacteria, such as blastomycosis, HIV and tuberculosis, for example, in addition to neoplasms.
Treatment of Addison’s disease aims to fill hormone deficit with medication, so that symptoms go away. Some of these medications include:
Treatment is done in accordance with the endocrinologist’s recommendation and should be done for life, because the disease does not cure, but with treatment it is possible to control the symptoms. In addition to medication treatment, a diet rich in sodium, calcium and vitamin D helps fight symptoms and should be indicated by a nutritionist.