Addison Disease

Summary

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 disease happens if the adrenal glands don’t make enough of these hormones.

A problem with your immune system usually causes Addison disease. The immune system mistakenly attacks your own tissues, damaging your adrenal glands. Other causes include infections and cancer.

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 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 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.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Encyclopedia

• 17-hydroxycorticosteroids urine test Medical Encyclopedia
• 24-hour urinary aldosterone excretion rate Medical Encyclopedia
• Cortisol – urine Medical Encyclopedia

Patient Handouts

• ACTH blood test Medical Encyclopedia
• ACTH stimulation test Medical Encyclopedia
• Acute adrenal crisis Medical Encyclopedia
• Addison disease Medical Encyclopedia
• Cortisol level Medical Encyclopedia

Start Here

• Addison’s Disease American Academy of Family Physicians
• Adrenal Insufficiency Endocrine Society
• Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison’s Disease National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Symptoms

• Addison’s Disease: Symptoms and Causes Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Treatments and Therapies

• Addison’s Disease: Treatment Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Diagnosis and Tests

• Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) National Library of Medicine
• Aldosterone Test National Library of Medicine
• Cortisol Test National Library of Medicine
• Renin Test National Library of Medicine

Genetics

• Autoimmune Addison disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Addison’s Disease National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Adrenal Insufficiency National Institutes of Health

Find an Expert

• Endocrine Society Endocrine Society
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Journal Articles

• Addison Disease