The Adrenal Disorders section provides students with High Yield information needed for USMLE, COMLEX, College, Medical School, Residency, and as a practicing Physician.
Table Of Contents
Primary Hyperaldosteronism
- Management:
Conn’s Syndrome
- – Pathway/Axis:
- Hypothalamus/Pituitary/Adrenal gland (HPA axis)
- – Major cause:
- small tumor found on the adrenal cortex in the majority of patients.
- Excess production of aldosterone by tumor leads to the development of the disease with high blood pressure and low potassium levels.
- Risk:
- adrenal hyperplasia – an abnormal function of the adrenal cortex
- – Major symptoms:
- High blood pressure with low potassium. Other symptoms can include muscle weakness and headaches.
Secondary Hyperaldosteronism
Primary Adrenal Insufficiency
Addison’s disease (hypocortisolism)
- – Pathway/Axis:
- – Major cause:
- – Major symptoms:
- – Management:
Adrenal Crisis (Acute Addison’s)
- Management:
- Hydrocortisone IV every 6-8hrs
- IVF
- Glucose
Secondary Adrenocortical Insufficiency
Pituitary Hyperplasia
Cushing’s Disease
- – Pathway/Axis:
- Hypothalamus/Pituitary/adrenal axis (HPA)
- – Major cause:
- tumor on the pituitary gland or pituitary hyperplasia.
- Causes excess release of ACTH which acts on the adrenal gland to release cortisol.
- Excess ACTH results in excess cortisol which is involved with the way the body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins during stressful situations.
- – Major symptoms:
- obesity of upper body and thin arms/legs.
- Round red face and children may experience slow growth.
- acne, easy bruising, and purple marks on the skin known as striae.
- Suffer from muscle and bone pain including weakness, or backaches.
- Excess fat collection between shoulder blades.
- Fatigue, mental changes, headaches, polydipsia, and polyuria
- Men – decreased libido and impotence.
- Women – excess hair growth and irregular menstrual cycles.
- Management:
Adrenal Mass
- Management:
Adrenocortical Carcinoma
Paraganglioma
- Management:
Pheochromocytoma
- – Pathway/Axis:
- catecholamines (mainly norepinephrine)
- – Major cause:
- neurohormone tumor of the medulla of the adrenal gland. Or extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue that filed to curl up after birth, secreting high amounts of catecholamines, mainly norepinephrine and epinephrine.
- – Major symptoms:
- elevated heart-rate/blood pressure, anxiety, excessive sweating, headaches, weight loss, palpitations. Spells vary from several times a day to monthly, lasting from seconds to hours, with spells occurring more frequently as the tumor grows.
- Management:
