Addison 's Disease : An Autoimmune Disorder Of The Endocrine System Essay

Cortisol plays a major role in the development of this disorder. It is secreted by the adrenal gland, located above the kidneys, in a precise sequence of events. The hypothalamus directs corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH) to the pituitary gland.1 CRH causes the pituitary to release adrenocorticotropin hormone(ACTH) activate the adrenal glands.1 The adrenal glands pick up the ACTH, they reciprocate by releasing cortisol in the bloodstream.1 Cortisol helps with quite a few of your body functions. Some of these functions are stress response, balancing the effects of insulin, reducing the immune system’s inflammatory response, regulating

     Addison’s disease is a disorder of the endocrine system. It is a hormonal disorder that can strike anyone, any gender at any age. Addison’s disease has also been called Adrenal Insufficiency (hypocortisolism) because the root of the disease is in the adrenal gland not producing enough of the hormone cortisol, or sometimes not enough of the hormone aldosterone to satisfy the body’s needs.

Addison 's disease is a disorder that occurs when a person 's adrenal glands produce insufficient amounts of certain hormones. When Addison 's diseased was first discovered the endocrine system was not yet completely understood therefore the disease itself was for the most part fatal. After years of research and medical breakthroughs Addison 's disease is now a disease in which someone can live a normal life as long as a daily dose of replacement

Alongside with organs, bones, and tissues, the human body also functions through hormones. Some of these hormones are produced by the adrenal glands which are located right above the kidneys. Adrenal glands produce hormones that give vital instructions to almost every organ and every tissue in your body. When someone’s adrenal glands do not produce enough amounts of certain hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone, this often leads to Addison’s Disease.

Consequently, Addison’s disease is said to affect approximately 1 in every 10,000 people and if left untreated, may be fatal (2).

Addison’s disease takes place when the cortex is damaged and does not produce hormones in adequate quantities. Doctors often refer to this condition that involves damage to the adrenal glands as a primary adrenal insufficiency. When the adrenal glands fail to produce adrenocortical hormones it is commonly a result of an autoimmune disease where the body is attacking itself. For an unknown reason the immune system sometimes views the

This is defined as Cushing’s Disease. High levels of ACTH cause adrenal hyperplasia, which stimulates production of cortisol. This can also result from tumors in the adrenal glands, or in some cases tumors elsewhere in the body may produce ACTH. However, the most common cause of Cushing’s syndrome is by far prolonged use of glucocorticoids such as prednisone to treat chronic inflammatory disorders. (Williams, L., & Hopper, P., 2015)

Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone secreted by the fasicularis layer of the adrenal cortex. One of the most common adrenal disorder is Cushing syndrome. Cushing syndrome is caused by elevated ACTH and subsequent excessive cortisol secretion. Major causes of Cushing syndrome involve ACTH-dependent, and ACTH-independent. ACTH-dependent includes ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma, and ectopic ACTH, while ACTH-independent includes functioning adrenocortical tumor, and exogenous glucocorticoid administration.1 In ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma, Cushing syndrome is the most common cause of noniatrogenic hypercortisolism accounts for about 60% of the cases. It is more prevalent in women than men with a diagnosed age around 20-40 years old. This

Addison Disease defined as a rare condition that affects the adrenal gland both in men and women alike. Addison Disease occurs when the body does not make enough cortisol or even sometimes aldosterone due to the autoimmune system attacking the adrenal glands. Cortisol needed to regulate the bodies response to stress. Aldosterone needed to help the kidneys regulate the amount of salt and water in the body to keep blood pressure under control, to low aldosterone causes hypotension. Infections such as Tuberculosis, HIV, Fungal Infections (and sometimes even Bacterial Infections), and Cancer cells can harm the adrenal gland.

70% of the patients that are diagnosed with Addison’s suffer from an autoimmune disease like HIV (Renz, 2012). Very rarely will it be a genetic mutation they are born with but it does happen. Another cause is malignancy. Tumors metastasize from another organ and start disrupting the hormone flow of the adrenal glands, like lymphoma (Renz, 2012). Another cause is long lasting infections like tuberculosis (Lovas & Husebye, 2005). This is how Addison’s disease was originally diagnosed. Over time, tuberculosis evolves and starts causing a hormone mix-up. On occasion, Addison’s may be caused by trauma. This is the case when it comes to the author’s father. The pituitary gland can be damaged based on the high mechanism of injury to the brain. The pituitary controls all the glands in the human body including the adrenal glands. To put it all in perspective, Addison’s disease basically creates an all-out warfare between your anti-bodies and your adrenal

Choice "E" is the best answer. Cushing syndrome is a clinical syndrome associated with an excess of glucocorticoids(GCs), due either to elevated levels of endogenous cortisol or exogenous use of glucocorticoid medications such as prednisone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, and betamethasone. Common signs and symptoms include altered fat deposition (including “moon facies” and “buffalo hump”, referring to fat deposition in the face and the upper back), weight gain, hypertension, striae, acne, hyperglycemia, and central muscle weakness. Treatment involves cessation of glucocorticoid therapy, though a taper is crucial, as abrupt withdrawal can lead to acute adrenal insufficiency and shock. In non-endocrine disorders, GCs are commonly given in pharmacologic (therapeutic) doses to suppress inflammation. In endocrine disorders, however, corticosteroid doses are often given at or close to physiologic doses (rather than in therapeutic ranges). GC-associated toxicity appears to be related to both the average dose and cumulative duration of GC use. However, for most GC-related adverse events, “threshold” dose or treatment duration has not been established.

Graves’ Disease is identified as an autoimmune disorder that directly affects the thyroid gland. Characterized as the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, Graves’ Disease encompasses an overactive, enlarged thyroid gland, which produces an excess of thyroid hormones [1]. Approximately 3% of the United States population is affected by Graves’ Disease and 60-80% of patients affected with Graves’ disease are diagnosed with hyperthyroidism [2]. The approximate female to male ratio is 5/1, with majority of those cases being diagnosed in adults over the age of 20. The peak incidence of cases fall between 40-60 years old [3]. In addition, a higher incidence of Graves’ Disease appears in African Americans and persons of Asian descent as compared to Caucasians in the United States.

A 23 year-old otherwise healthy African American active duty male admitted directly from Endocrinology clinic for expedited work-up of suspected Cushing’s syndrome. Patient had been treated by his primary care provider for acute-onset hypertension, but had escalated rapidly to use of three antihypertensive agents within 6 months. Other than tobacco dependence (1/3 pack per day), patient had no known pertinent personal or family medical history. Patient was referred to Endocrinology due to refractory hypertension (190/100s on three agents) and signs of truncal obesity (30 lbs despite active lifestyle), moon facies, buffalo hump and violaceous striae concerning for Cushing’s syndrome. He also reported symptoms of generalized fatigue, limb weakness, lower extremity edema, easy bruising, nocturia, insomnia, and irritability. Patient was found to have elevated ACTH (252-290) with non-suppressible cortisol levels upon dexamethasone suppression testing at 1-mg (32.7) and 8-mg (37.56). Adjunctive studies included thyroid function tests, renin:aldosterone ratios, plasma metanephrines, 24-hour urine

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), a group of autosomal recessive disorders characterized by enzyme defects in the pathways of steroid biosynthesis involved in the formation of cortisol, aldosterone and androgens. 21-Hydroxylase (21-OH) is the most common of the enzymatic deficicient being found in 94% of cases, which is formed due to mutation of 21-hydroxylase gene CYP21A2. Categorizations lead to two forms severe form or

What causes the immune system to malfunction is unknown. Therefore, there is no reliable way to prevent developing an autoimmune disease. There is a possibility that hormones may play a part in stimulating autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases may even have an inherited element because a good number of autoimmune diseases likely run in families. This means that a person is seemingly likely to develop the disease if that person has a close relative with that disease. For a few autoimmune diseases, this familial possibility remains small. (Franz, 2006, Laberge, Davidson, 2007, Schwartz, 2007, Dugdale, 2009, Wrong Diagnosis, 2000).