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Addison's disease - Overview

Alternative Names

Adrenocortical hypofunction; Chronic adrenocortical insufficiency; Primary adrenal insufficiency

Definition of Addison's disease:

Addison's disease is a disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of their hormones.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The adrenal glands are small hormone-secreting organs located on top of each kidney. They consist of the outer portion (called the cortex) and the inner portion (called the medulla).

The cortex produces 3 types of hormones:

The glucocorticoid hormones (such as cortisol) maintain sugar (glucose) control, decrease (suppress) immune response, and help the body respond to stress.
The mineralocorticoid hormones (such as aldosterone) regulate sodium and potassium balance.
The sex hormones, androgens (male) and estrogens (female), affect sexual development and sex drive.

Addison's disease results from damage to the adrenal cortex. The damage causes the cortex to produce less of its hormones.

This damage may be caused by the following:

The immune system mistakenly attacking the gland (autoimmune disease)
Infections such as tuberculosis, HIV, or fungal infections
Hemorrhage, blood loss
Tumors
Use of blood-thinning drugs (anticoagulants)

Risk factors for the autoimmune type of Addison's disease include other autoimmune diseases:

Certain genetic defects may cause these conditions.

Endocrine glands

Reviewed last on: 3/18/2008
Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Stewart PM. The adrenal cortex. In: Kronenberg H, Melmed S, Polonsky K, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 14.

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