Addison's Disease-- Cortisol Insufficiency and Aldosterone insufficiency(Primary Adrenal Insufficiency)

There are 2 branches of Addison's disease that are caused by a Primary Adrenal Insufficiency. One of these branches is cortisol insufficiency, which is the lack of cortisol hormones in the body. Cortisol is an essential hormone to the body with two major functions, the first being to help the body respond to stress and to trigger a 'fight or flight' reaction which helps your body react appropriately to a dangerous situation and survive such as coming face to face with a venomous snake, and the other is to help the body maintain homeostasis, a state of which the body's systems are regulated to a certain optimal state for its survival, by regulating the body's use of carbohydrate, protein and fat, helps to maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function and also controls inflammation in the body. Without enough cortisol, the body will struggle to maintain homeostasis, resulting in several hazardous and even life threatening consequences, and the body will also face difficulty dealing with stressful situations appropriately.

H Brian( 15 January 2012), B) A look at cortisol, retrieved 16th July 2014 from <http://ultimatecityfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/cortisol.jpg>

The other branch of Addison's disease is aldosterone insufficiency, which is a lack of aldosterone hormones in the body. Aldosterone is used by the kidneys to regulate the salt and water levels in the body, the main way of maintaining blood volume to keep blood pressure under control. Without enough aldosterone, the kidneys are unable to keep salt and water levels in balance, resulting in poor blood volume and blood pressure control, which can have several detrimental effects on the body.

                                
Pearsonhighered.com(n.d), Aldosterone, retrieved 16th July 2014 from <http://www.pearsonhighered.com/mathews/ch19/aldstrne.htm>


David. T Derrer, MD (29 March 2014) Understanding Addison's Disease -- the basics, retrieved 16th July 2014 from <http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-addisons-disease-basics>
H Brian( 15 January 2012), Cortisol-Don't let it stress you out, retrieved 16th July 2014 from <http://ultimatecityfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/cortisol.jpg>
K Lynette( 30 January 2013), Patient Information: Adrenal Insufficiency(Addison's disease)(Beyond the Basics), retrieved 16th July from <http://www.uptodate.com/contents/adrenal-insufficiency-addisons-disease-beyond-the-basics>