Also called: Also called: Adrenal insufficiency, Adrenocortical hypofunction, Hypocortisolism
Your adrenal glands are just above your kidneys. The outside layer of these glands makes hormones that help your body respond to stress and regulate your blood pressure and water and salt balance. Addison's disease occurs if the adrenal glands don't make enough of these hormones.
A problem with your immune system usually causes Addison's disease. The immune system mistakenly attacks your own tissues, damaging your adrenal glands.
Symptoms include
- Weight loss
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue that gets worse over time
- Low blood pressure
- Patchy or dark skin
Lab tests can confirm that you have Addison's disease. If you don't treat it, it can be fatal. You will need to take hormone pills for the rest of your life. If you have Addison's disease, you should carry an emergency ID. It should say that you have the disease, list your medicines and say how much you need in an emergency.
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Addison's Disease
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/addison/addison.htm
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Addison's Disease(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/hormone/910.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/hormone/910.printerview.html
- Addison's Disease(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/addisons-disease/DS00361/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Adrenal Insufficiency (Secondary Addison's or Addison's Disease)(Pituitary Network Association) - http://www.pituitary.org/disorders/addisons_disease.aspx
- ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/acth/test.html
- Cortisol Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cortisol/test.html
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Managing Adrenal Insufficiency(National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center) - Links to PDF - http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/patient_education/pepubs/mngadrins.pdf
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Addison's Disease(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Addison's+Disease%22
- Article: Primary adrenal lymphoma presenting as Addison's disease. Case report and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18700280&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Insulin gene polymorphisms in type 1 diabetes, Addison's disease and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18620562&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Polymorphisms in CLEC16A and CIITA at 16p13 are associated with... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18593762&tool=MedlinePlus
- Addison's Disease -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=addison+disease[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- AACE Physician Finder(American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) - http://www.aace.com/resources/memsearch.php
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Directory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Organizations(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/resources/organizations.htm
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Pituitary Network Association - http://www.pituitary.org/
- Adrenal Gland Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/adrenalglanddisorders.html
- Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html
- Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Addison's Disease is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/