This book describes Adrenal Crisis, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

Adrenal crisis is an acute life-threatening disorder triggered by an internal or external process in the situation of known or unknown adrenal insufficiency and corticosteroid deficiency.

Adrenal crisis, also caused by acute adrenal insufficiency is an acute life-threatening disorder with a death rate of 0.5/100 patients/year.

An Adrenal crisis is a serious medical disorder produced by the body’s inability to produce a adequate amount of cortisol.

An Adrenal crisis is regarded as one of the endocrine emergency triggered by an internal or external process in the situation of known or unknown lack of production of the adrenal hormone cortisol, the major glucocorticoid.

People who have a disorder called Addison’s disease or who have damaged adrenal glands may not be able to produce enough cortisol.

Low levels of cortisol can produce weakness, fatigue, and low blood pressure.

The patient may have more symptoms if the patient have untreated Addison’s disease or damaged adrenal glands due to severe stress, such as from a car accident or an infection.

These symptoms are sudden dizziness, vomiting, and even loss of consciousness.

Early diagnosis and prompt management can save the patient's life and affect survival.

The doctors should be able to distinguish between adrenal insufficiency and adrenal crisis since the adrenal crisis is fatal if left untreated.

While this disease is well known, it is often difficult to identify, and treatment initiation may be delayed causing notable morbidity and mortality.

An Adrenal crisis can be very dangerous if cortisol levels are not replenished.

It is a life-threatening disorder that requires immediate medical treatment.

People with Addison’s disease are at a higher risk of having an Adrenal crisis, especially if their disorder is not treated.

Addison’s disease often happens when a person’s immune system accidentally attacks their adrenal glands.

Other causes of Addison’s disease are:

1. Prolonged use of glucocorticoids, such as prednisone


2. Severe infections, including fungal and viral infections


3. Tumors


4. Bleeding in the adrenal glands due to use of certain blood thinners that help prevent blood clots


5. Surgery on the adrenal gland

The cortisol levels will gradually decrease over time if the patient has Addison’s disease that is not treated.

When the patient does not have a normal amount of adrenal hormones, stress can overwhelm the body and lead to an Adrenal crisis.

The most frequent cause of the adrenal crisis is a sudden withdrawal of long-term corticosteroid therapy (normally more than 5 mg prednisone and greater than 4 weeks)

The symptoms of an Adrenal crisis are:

1. Extreme weakness


2. Mental confusion


3. Dizziness


4. Nausea or abdominal pain


5. Vomiting


6. Fever


7. A sudden pain in the lower back or legs


8. A loss of appetite


9. Extremely low blood pressure


10. Chills


11. Skin rashes


12. Sweating


13. A high heart rate


14. Loss of consciousness

The doctor may make an initial diagnosis by measuring the level of cortisol or adrenocorticotropic hormone in the blood.

The definitive treatment of adrenal crisis is the use of glucocorticoids, particularly hydrocortisone.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction

Chapter 1 Adrenal Crisis

Chapter 2 Causes

Chapter 3 Symptoms

Chapter 4 Diagnosis

Chapter 5 Treatment

Chapter 6 Prognosis

Chapter 7 Adrenal Insufficiency (Updated)

Chapter 8 Life and Death of An Adrenal Gland

Epilogue