Cushing syndrome

Cushing syndrome (also sometimes called Cushing's syndrome) is a disorder with physical and mental changes that result from having too much cortisol in the blood for a long period of time. There are two types of Cushing syndrome: exogenous (caused by factors outside the body) and endogenous (caused by factors within the body). The symptoms for both are the same. The only difference is the causes. Cushing disease is a rare condition, only affecting 10 to 15 people per million every year. It is more common in women and occurs most often in people between the ages of 20 and 50. A pituitary adenoma is the most common cause of Cushing disease. An adenoma is a Endocrine Connection • Manage blood sugar levels • Regulate metabolism • Reduce inflammation • Assist with memory formulation • Maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function • Develop the fetus during pregnancy (in women) • Balance salt and water intake • Convert fat, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy When an individual faces a stressful situation, the body releases more cortisol. Sometimes the body is not able to properly regulate the production of cortisol and too much cortisol is produced. When too much cortisol is produced, it contributes to the development of Cushing syndrome. Low cortisol levels can cause a condition known as primary adrenal insufficiency or Addison disease. While rare, primary adrenal insufficiency is an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the adrenal glands. Symptoms may start slow...

Enter search terms to find related medical topics, multimedia and more. Advanced Search: • Use “ “ for phrases o [ “pediatric abdominal pain” ] • Use – to remove results with certain terms o [ “abdominal pain” –pediatric ] • Use OR to account for alternate terms o [teenager OR adolescent ] Search A-Z Cushing syndrome is a constellation of clinical abnormalities caused by chronic high blood levels of cortisol or related corticosteroids. Cushing disease is Cushing syndrome that results from excess pituitary production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), generally secondary to a pituitary adenoma. Typical symptoms and signs include moon face and truncal obesity, easy bruising, and thin arms and legs. Diagnosis is by history of receiving corticosteroids or by finding elevated and/or relatively autonomous serum cortisol. Treatment depends on the cause. Secretion of ACTH by a nonpituitary tumor, such as Classification Lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women worldwide. About 85% of cases are related to cigarette smoking. Symptoms can include cough, chest discomfort or pain... read more or a Overview of Carcinoid Tumors Carcinoid tumors develop from neuroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract (90%), pancreas, pulmonary bronchi, and rarely the genitourinary tract. More than 95% of all gastrointestinal... read more (ectopic ACTH syndrome) • Whereas the term Cushing syndrome denotes the clinical picture resulting from corticosteroid exce...

Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Diagnosis and A Treatment of Cushing syndrome depends upon the specific cause. Many manifestations of the syndrome disappear when the cause of cortisol excess is removed. If the cause is from ACTH or glucocorticoid treatment, remission occurs when treatment is discontinued. Pituitary tumours can be surgically removed in about 80 percent of patients with Cushing disease, and

Cushing’s syndrome, also called hypercortisolism, is a condition in which the body produces too much of the hormone cortisol. In most cases, it is caused by an abnormality in the adrenal or pituitary glands. Cortisol helps your child’s body respond to an illness or injury. It also stabilizes blood pressure and blood sugar levels. When the body produces too much cortisol, it can slow a child’s growth, disrupt puberty, and cause obesity, mood changes, and a variety of other symptoms. Cushing’s syndrome is extremely rare. Signs and symptoms The primary symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome in children who are still growing is a dramatic slowing in vertical growth, while the child continues to gain weight. • Weight gain, specifically in the mid-torso • Vertical growth slows or stops • Thin arms and legs compared to the rest of the body • Stretch marks on abdomen, arms, thighs and buttocks • Round or moon-shaped face • Excess facial hair (hirsutism) in girls • Menstrual changes in girls • Acne • Fatigue • Precocious (early) puberty • Diabetes • High blood pressure (hypertension) • High cholesterol Some children will also experience a variety of other symptoms including: • Easy bruising • Emotional changes such as depression and moodiness • Weakened bones • Muscle weakness • Late or delayed puberty • Sleep disturbances • Hypercalcemia (extra calcium in the blood) • Kidney stones (calcium that comes from the bones leaks through the kidneys into the urine and can crystallize, causing cal...

What are overactive adrenal glands? When • Androgenic steroids (androgen hormones). An overproduction of androgenic steroids, such as testosterone, can lead to exaggerated male characteristics in both men and women, such as hairiness of the face and body, baldness, acne, deeper voice, and more muscularity. • Corticosteroids. An overproduction of corticosteroids can lead to Cushing's syndrome (see below). • Aldosterone. An overproduction of the aldosterone hormone can lead to high blood pressure and to those symptoms associated with low levels of potassium, such as weakness, muscle aches, spasms, and sometimes paralysis. The symptoms of overactive adrenal glands may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis. How are overactive adrenal glands diagnosed? In addition to a complete medical history and medical examination, diagnostic procedures for overactive adrenal glands may include: • Specific blood tests to measure levels of hormones • Urine tests to measure levels of hormones • Radiologic tests, such as What is the treatment for overactive adrenal glands? Treatment of overactive adrenal glands depends on the cause of the disease and source of the overproduction of cortisol. Treatment may include surgical removal of growths or the adrenal gland(s) itself. If external steroid use is determined to be the cause, gradual tapering and removal of the steroid may be recommended. Certain drugs that block the excessive production of ce...

The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. MENU • Membership Adrenal Tumors An abnormality of the adrenal glands, such as an adrenal tumor, may cause Cushing's syndrome. Most of these cases involve non-cancerous tumors called adrenal adenomas, which release excess cortisol into the blood. Adrenocortical carcinomas, or adrenal cancers, are the least common cause of Cushing's syndrome. Cancer cells secrete excess levels of several adrenal cortical hormones including cortisol and adrenal Signs and Symptoms Associated with Cushing’s Syndrome/Disease: • Weight gain in face ( • Weight gain above the collar bone (supraclavicular fat pad) • Weight gain on the back of neck ( • Skin changes with easy bruising in the extremities and development of purplish stretch marks ( • Red, round face (plethora) • Central obesity with weight gain centered over the chest and abdomen with thin arms and legs • Excessive hair growth (hirsutism) on face, neck, chest, abdomen and thighs • Female balding • Generalized weakness and fatigue • Blurry vision • Vertigo • Muscle weakness • Menstrual disorders in women ( • Decreased fertility and/or sex drive (libido) ...