However the following symptoms may be seenĩ. Therefore, it sometimes takes an astute clinician or patient or family member to question the possibility of adrenal suppression.Ī patient with adrenal suppression may be completely asymptomatic. The symptoms of adrenal suppression can be very non-specific. What are the signs and symptoms of adrenal suppression? With less ACTH, there is less cortisol produced.
ACTH is an important hormone that tells the adrenal gland to make cortisol. This in turn reduces the amount of cortisol that the adrenal gland is instructed to manufacture. The failure to prescribe additional stress steroids during times of stress or illness can lead to the patient with adrenal suppression to become quite ill.Īdrenal suppression has significant morbidity and mortality and so needs to be recognized and treated quickly and appropriately.Įxogenous corticosteroids taken by the patient inhibit the release of CRH and ACTH from the pituitary gland. It’s easy to imagine that when the adrenal gland is not able to make enough cortisol, the patient is more likely to have low blood pressure, low blood pressure and feel very weak and fatigued.Īdrenal suppression is important to identify because patients with adrenal suppression need to be prescribed additional medications (so called “stress steroids”) dosing during times of illness or during times of surgery in order to mimic the body’s normal elevation in cortisol levels during physiological stress. It helps keep blood pressure up (at normal levels) and helps keep blood sugars up (at normal levels) and help the patient feel energized and awake. Cortisol has many important roles in the body. Adrenal suppression is a condition characterized by the inability of the adrenal glands to produce adequate amounts of cortisol – a hormone which is critical during periods of physiological stress.
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