Endocrine disorders adrenal glands

An endocrine disorder first described by the British Physician Thomas Addison in the mid 1800 s. The adrenal glands fail to produce sufficient amounts of glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol) and sometime mineralocorticoid (aldosterone). If left untreated it is life-threatening, the patient will show muscle weakness, hyperpigmentation and even depression. Typical treatment is hydrocortisone replacement therapy. 

Addison s disease an endocrine disorder associated with the adrenal gland, when low levels of steroid hormones are produced. 

This chapter gives a general overview of the endocrine system. Some detail is given of the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands, the pancreas and disorders of them because health care professionals are likely to come across patients with such disorders. 

Mulliplc endocrine neoplasias are inherited disorders. The syndromes are usually transmitted in an autosomal dominant pattern. The endocrine glands most often affected are the parathyroid, pituitary, pancreas, thyroid and adrenal. It is postulated that the cell types involved in these tumours have a common embryological precursor. There arc three well-dcrmed multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes (Fig. 2). 

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