MedlinePlus: Cushing's Syndrome

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Illustration of the kidneys and adrenal glands

Related Topics
- Adrenal Gland Disorders
- Endocrine System
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- Services and providers for Cushing's Syndrome in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Cushing's Syndrome is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Cushing's Syndrome

Also called: Hypercortisolism

Cushings syndrome is caused by long-term exposure to too much cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal gland makes. Sometimes, taking synthetic hormone medicine to treat an inflammatory disease leads to Cushing's. Some kinds of tumors secrete a hormone that can cause your body to make too much cortisol.

Cushing's syndrome is rare. Some symptoms are

Upper body obesity
Thin arms and legs
Severe fatigue and muscle weakness
High blood pressure
High blood sugar
Easy bruising

Your treatment will depend on why you have too much cortisol. If it is because you have been taking synthetic hormones, a lower dose may control your symptoms. If a tumor caused it, surgery and other therapies may be needed. Most of the time, Cushing's syndrome can be cured.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

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Cushing's Syndrome(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Cushing's Syndrome and Cushing's Disease(American Academy of Family Physicians)
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Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Overviews Diagnosis/Symptoms Treatment	Nutrition	No links available
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Anatomy/Physiology Clinical Trials Journal Articles	Dictionaries/Glossaries Directories Organizations	Children

Overviews
- Cushing's Syndrome(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- Cushing's Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary
- Cushing's Syndrome(Pituitary Network Association)
Diagnosis/Symptoms
- ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Cortisol Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Diagnostic Testing for Cushing’s Syndrome(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation)
Treatment
- Frequently Asked Questions about Transsphenoidal Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas - A Patient Guide(Pituitary Network Association)
- Radiosurgery: Operating on the Brain without a Scalpel(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Nutrition
- Nutrition for Patients with Cushing Syndrome(National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center) - Links to PDF
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Anatomy/Physiology
- Endocrine System(Nemours Foundation)
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Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Cushing Syndrome(National Institutes of Health)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Glossary of Terms: Cushing's(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation)
- Pituitary Network Association Glossary(Pituitary Network Association)
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Directories
- AACE Physician Finder(American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists)
- Cushing's Doctors(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation)
- Find an Endocrinologist(Hormone Foundation)
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Organizations
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Children
- Pediatric Cushing’s(Cushing's Support and Research Foundation)
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