Addison's Disease-- Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency

Addison's disease may sometimes afflict people due to other reasons, such as another illness that they are going through/went through. This is secondary adrenal insufficiency, where the disease has its point of causality in another disease or illness. Secondary adrenal insufficiency is caused by a lack of the CRH or ACTH, which can be attributed to several reasons, such as stoppage of corticosteroid medication.

Some people may be required to take synthetic(artificially produced) glucocorticoid hormones known as cortiocosteriods to treat inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. However, taking these hormones for a prolonged time period causes the adrenal glands of these people to produce less of their natural hormones like cortisol, resulting in Addison's disease. To give the adrenal glands time to regain their normal functions, the dosage of the medication is reduced slowly, but even with such measures these people still stand a chance of getting the disease.

Another group of people at risk of getting Addison's disease is those who have had their pituitary tumors(a growth on their pituitary gland like the adrenal gland) removed surgically to cure Cushing's syndrome, a form of cortisol related disorder in which too much cortisol is produced for a prolonged period of time. When the tumors are removed an extra source of ACTH is gone, and the adrenal glands would be unable to produce cortisol normally for a period of time, of which a replacement hormone must be consumed as a form of medication. Taking an inadequate dosage of the hormones can then lead to Addison's disease.



Angela (24 April 2013), Learn about Cushing's syndrome, 'Cushing Syndrome's symptoms", retrieved 24 July 2014 from <http://www.neurobodyfit.com/learn-about-cushings-syndrome/>

Other causes of secondary adrenal insufficiency include infection of the pituitary, removal of parts of the hypothalamus and radiation treatment of pituitary or nearby tumors.


Healthfoxx(n.d), Adrenal Insufficiency(Primary & Secondary)-- Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis, retrieved 24 July 2014 from <http://healthfoxx.com/adrenal-insufficiency-symptoms-treatment-diagnosis/>

National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service(14 May 2014), Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease, NIH Publication No. 14-3054, retrieved 24 July 2014 from <http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/addison/addison.aspx#causes>