Addisons Disease
Case Study: Addison’s Disease and Adrenal Crisis
PHGY 230 – Gerald McGraw
June 5, 2014
Addison’s disease, according to Mayo Clinic, is a disease cause by a insufficient amount of hormones that come from the adrenal gland. Typically what is found in individuals with Addison’s disease is a limited amount of cortisol along with limited amounts of aldosterone also.i Adrenal crisis also occurs when there is not enough cortisol in the body, on a more dangerous level.v It usually occurs when the adrenal gland is damaged severely or Addison’s disease is not treated properly.v To understand what is happening when a person experiences Addison’s disease or adrenal crisis it is important to understand what is happening inside the body. The adrenal gland is located upon each of the kidneys. It has two parts, one focuses on the sympathetic nervous system while the other is the part that is actually made up of the glandular tissue.ii The part that is made up of glandular tissue is called outer adrenal cortex.ii This outer adrenal cortex is known to produce many different proteins which together are known as corticosteroids.ii They can also be broken down into aldosterone, cortisol, and androgens.iv The cortisol is bound together with a protein and together they are called glucocorticoids.iv This has many important jobs in the body. Some of the jobs of the glucocorticoids are to stimulate gluconeogenesis, mobilizes fatty acids and amino acids, elevate red blood cells and platelets, decrease cellular glucose use, and to cause anti-inflammatory effects.iv Without cortisol the liver doesn’t store glycogen as well, there is an increase of insulin sensitivity, and the metabolism of proteins decreases.iii Aldosterone also has many important jobs in the human body. Some of the jobs aldosterone are to cause the gut, kidneys, sweat, and salivary glands to balance the electrolyte levels in the body.iv Some clinical manifestations that come
PHGY 230 – Gerald McGraw
June 5, 2014
Addison’s disease, according to Mayo Clinic, is a disease cause by a insufficient amount of hormones that come from the adrenal gland. Typically what is found in individuals with Addison’s disease is a limited amount of cortisol along with limited amounts of aldosterone also.i Adrenal crisis also occurs when there is not enough cortisol in the body, on a more dangerous level.v It usually occurs when the adrenal gland is damaged severely or Addison’s disease is not treated properly.v To understand what is happening when a person experiences Addison’s disease or adrenal crisis it is important to understand what is happening inside the body. The adrenal gland is located upon each of the kidneys. It has two parts, one focuses on the sympathetic nervous system while the other is the part that is actually made up of the glandular tissue.ii The part that is made up of glandular tissue is called outer adrenal cortex.ii This outer adrenal cortex is known to produce many different proteins which together are known as corticosteroids.ii They can also be broken down into aldosterone, cortisol, and androgens.iv The cortisol is bound together with a protein and together they are called glucocorticoids.iv This has many important jobs in the body. Some of the jobs of the glucocorticoids are to stimulate gluconeogenesis, mobilizes fatty acids and amino acids, elevate red blood cells and platelets, decrease cellular glucose use, and to cause anti-inflammatory effects.iv Without cortisol the liver doesn’t store glycogen as well, there is an increase of insulin sensitivity, and the metabolism of proteins decreases.iii Aldosterone also has many important jobs in the human body. Some of the jobs aldosterone are to cause the gut, kidneys, sweat, and salivary glands to balance the electrolyte levels in the body.iv Some clinical manifestations that come