Adrenal crisis

Adrenal crisis
Classification and external resources
ICD-10	E27.2
MedlinePlus	000357
eMedicine	article/116716 article/765753
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Adrenal crisis (also known as Addisonian crisis and acute adrenal insufficiency) is a medical emergency and potentially life-threatening situation requiring immediate emergency treatment. It is a constellation of symptoms that indicate severe adrenal insufficiency caused by insufficient levels of the hormone cortisol. This may be the result of either previously undiagnosed or untreated Addison's disease, a disease process suddenly affecting adrenal function (such as bleeding from the adrenal glands in Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome), suddenly stopping intake of glucocorticoids, or an intercurrent problem (e.g. infection, trauma, in fact any form of physical or mental stress) in someone known to have Addison's disease or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).

Characteristic symptoms are:

Addisonian Crisis is caused by deficiency of cortisol. Cortisol deficiency may be due to Addison's disease, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), corticosteroid biosynthetic enzyme defects or pituitary disorders (such as Sheehan's syndrome, pituitary adenoma, hypopituitarism (inactive or underactive pituitary) causing failure to activate the adrenal glands.

Various investigations aid the diagnosis.

Acute adrenal insufficiency is a medical emergency and needs to be treated with injectable hydrocortisone and fluid support.

Adrenal crisis is triggered by physiological stress (such as trauma). Activities that have an elevated risk of trauma are best avoided. Treatment must be given within two hours of trauma and consequently it is advisable to carry injectable hydrocortisone in remote areas.

Hahner et al. investigated the frequency, causes and risk factors for adrenal crisis in patients with chronic adrenal insufficiency. Annane et al.'s landmark 2002 study found a very high rate of relative adrenal insufficiency among the enrolled patients with septic shock.

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