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Enfermedad de Addison - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Insuficiencia suprarrenal primaria; Hipofunción corticosuprarrenal; Insuficiencia corticosuprarrenal crónica

Definición:

Es un trastorno que ocurre cuando las glándulas suprarrenales no producen suficiente cantidad de sus hormonas.

Causas, incidencia y factores de riesgo:

Las glándulas suprarrenales son pequeños órganos que secretan hormonas y que se encuentran localizados en la parte superior de cada riñón. Estas glándulas están conformadas por una parte externa (llamada corteza) y una parte interna (llamada médula).

La corteza produce tres tipos de hormonas:

  • Las hormonas glucocorticoides (como el cortisol) mantienen el control de la glucosa (azúcar), disminuyen (inhiben) la respuesta inmunitaria y ayudan al cuerpo a responder al estrés.
  • Las hormonas mineralocorticoides (como la aldosterona) regulan el equilibrio de sodio y potasio.
  • Las hormonas sexuales: andrógenos (hombres) y estrógenos (mujeres) afectan el desarrollo sexual y la libido.

La enfermedad de Addison resulta de un daño a la corteza suprarrenal, lo cual hace que dicha corteza produzca menos de sus hormonas.

Este daño puede ser causado por lo siguiente:

  • El sistema inmunitario ataca por error la glándula (enfermedad autoinmunitaria)
  • Infecciones como la tuberculosis, VIH o infecciones micóticas
  • Hemorragia, pérdida de sangre
  • Tumores
  • Uso de medicamentos anticoagulantes

Los factores de riesgo para la enfermedad de Addison de tipo autoinmunitario incluyen otras enfermedades autoinmunitarias:

Ciertos defectos genéticos pueden causar estas afecciones.

  • Reviewed last on: 11/25/2009
  • Ari S. Eckman, MD, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

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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