Symptoms such as insufficient adrenal cortical hormone, excessive harm, fatigue, decreased appetite, and skin pigmentation
Nov 18, 2024
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Adrenal diseases are mainly divided into adrenal insufficiency and hormonal hypersecretion. Typical causes include autoimmune diseases, hormonal imbalances, and tumors.
Autoimmune diseases cause adrenal cortical dysfunction and are divided into acute adrenal cortical dysfunction and chronic adrenal cortical dysfunction. Chronic adrenocortical insufficiency is also called Addison's disease.
In the case of Addison's disease, symptoms of fatigue and lethargy appear due to lack of adrenal cortical hormones, and symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, low blood pressure, and skin pigmentation appear.
Hormonal imbalances are caused by excessive or insufficient cortisol, aldosterone, and androgen hormones secreted by the adrenal glands. Cushing's syndrome caused by excessive cortisol secretion is a typical example. Symptoms include high blood pressure, muscle weakness, and skin thinning. The skin becomes thinner, so bruises easily and the recovery of the wound becomes slow. It is often found in women in their 30s and 50s. In the long run, it increases the risk of decreased immune function and cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
Browncytoma, an adrenal tumor, is associated with genetic factors, other endocrine diseases, and kidney diseases. Browncytoma produces and secretes excessive catecholamines such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are substances that increase blood pressure among hormones, and can cause severe high blood pressure, headaches, sweating, and increased heart rate. Blood sugar may increase, dizziness, vision impairment, and weight loss appear. Symptoms similar to angina, such as excessive sweating or tightening of the chest, can occur.
Several tests are performed to diagnose adrenal disease. First, check the blood concentration of cortisol, aldosterone, and adrenaline through a blood test to determine the function of the adrenal gland. The urine collected for 24 hours is examined for excessive cortisol levels. The presence of tumors such as pheochromocytoma can be confirmed through imaging tests such as CT or MRI.
Treatment of adrenal disease depends on its cause. Patients with adrenocorticotropic dysfunction, such as Addison's disease, take drugs that replace deficient hormones. Hormone inhibitors are prescribed to patients with excessive hormone secretion, such as Cushing's syndrome. If a tumor is found, surgery to remove it is necessary, and even after surgery, hormone replacement therapy may require supplementation of insufficient hormones. Radiotherapy may be required for some tumor patients.
Professor Jo Anna of breast thyroid surgery at Gangdong Kyunghee University Hospital said, `The symptoms of adrenal disease may vary from individual to individual. Therefore, in order to diagnose early, attention should be paid to small signals in the body, such as weight changes and sudden fatigue.'
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