Addison’s disease is another name for adrenal insufficiency — meaning the adrenal glands don’t produce enough of the hormone cortisol and frequently create insufficient levels of aldosterone.
Cortisol is the stress hormone that regulates weight, helps fight infection, and regulates heart function.
Aldosterone is a hormone that retains salt, and when the adrenal glands don’t produce enough, it leads to:
- low blood pressure
- heart palpitations
- salt cravings
- dizziness upon standing
If left untreated, people with Addison’s disease can experience life-threatening symptoms such as very low blood pressure and heart problems. But, in order to be treated, healthcare providers have to know if the person has primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency.
The first is most often caused by the body’s autoimmune system which attacks and damages the adrenal glands as if they were foreign bodies. The second is caused by the pituitary gland not producing enough ACTH hormone.
Treatment is a life-long commitment, and patients are urged to take their prescribed medications faithfully and according to their healthcare provider’s individualized instructions.
If you have Addison’s, it’s important to avoid stress and stressful situations because as stated earlier, cortisol is a stress hormone.
To learn more about Addison’s disease, visit the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
