Adrenal disease: a review of the causes and

Author: Volkov AA, endocrinologist.
November, 2019.

Adrenal glands - small bodies, called because of its location directly above the kidneys. Despite its small size, the adrenal glands are an important part of the body, producing a number of important hormones. Diseases of the paired organs can not only greatly reduce the quality of human life, but also lead to death.

Photo: adrenal gland and other endocrine organs

adrenal function

Adrenal glands - one of the organs of internal secretion. Its task is to produce hormones that stimulate many processes in the body.

The main functions of the adrenal glands have two.

• Firstly, they are involved in the control of metabolism in the body. Without them, it becomes impossible metabolism of many products, the excessive accumulation of fluid in the body begins.
• Secondly, thanks to a number of hormones produced by the adrenal glands, the body cope with stress, adapting to ever-changing environmental factors. It reduces the level of adrenal fatigue, help to normalize the emotional background.

The adrenal glands are not only involved in the control of metabolism and protect the nervous system from stress, but also help to function properly cardiovascular and reproductive system in humans.

Causes of adrenal diseases

Physicians secrete large number of factors can lead to adrenal disease. First and foremost, of course, should take into account the peculiarities of heredity. There are diseases to which there is a genetic predisposition (eg Cushing's disease).

Considerable influence on the adrenal glands has stress. Organ helps the body fight stress factors but, at the same time, he is subject to its influence. At constant negative impacts of working layers of the adrenal glands are increased, they cease to produce hormones in adequate quantities¹.

doctors also allocate additional reasons. Among them:

• viral, bacterial and fungal infections;
• diseases of other organs and systems (especially the liver);
• Availability heart failure;
• inflammation of the kidneys;
• the presence of autoimmune processes in the body;
• circulatory problems character (disturbance of blood flow in the adrenal gland as a whole or in some of its regions).

To cure the disease to be effective, it is recommended to establish the cause of its development.

Common symptoms

The first symptoms showing deviations in the adrenal glands are often ignored by patients. The reason is their low specificity. To spot developing pathology, should pay attention to the following features:

• a feeling of weakness in the muscles;
• reduced resistance to stress;
• severe weight loss or, on the contrary, no increase in weight causes (often due to fluid accumulation in the body);
• migraine attacks, dizziness;
• headaches, nausea, vomiting;
• sleep disorders in a deterioration of its quality, reduced duration;
• frequent feelings of fatigue;
• hypo- or hyperglycaemia²;
• pain in the adrenal glands.

Common symptoms, particularly in the initial stages, it is easy to take for an ordinary fatigue or a slight cold. Not to miss the disease, it is necessary to look carefully for changes in his condition.

The most common diseases

Adrenal glands - the body which can suffer from a whole group of different diseases.

Cushing's disease

A disease in which the adrenal glands synthesize excessive amounts of hormones. It affected him mostly women between the ages of 25 to 40 years, but found it among men. The doctor distinguish Cushing's syndrome. In case of illness the main violation is not so much in the adrenal glands themselves, as in the hypothalamic-pituitary system. When the cause of the syndrome disorders are mostly just the adrenal glands. For pathology is characterized by high fatigue, frequent suicidal thoughts, moon face, deterioration in muscle tone. Women may be disrupted or completely stop menstruating.

For the diagnosis of blood determine the level of ACTH, cortisol and renin. Treatment and prognosis depend on the cause, provoked syndrome. For example, if the case in tumor perhaps its surgical removal.

Addison's disease

rare disease. It develops in the event that authorities are working actively enough (adrenal insufficiency). The first body feels the lack of the hormone cortisol. Synonym Addison's disease - a bronze disease. This is due to a characteristic change of color of the skin of the patient at the bronze man, if he was a long time under the sun. In addition to changes in skin color marked decrease in appetite, increased susceptibility to colds, bouts of thirst, the menstrual cycle in women.

Diagnosis of the disease is carried out by evaluating the state of the adrenal glands by means of ultrasound, carrying out testing cortisol. Treatment is based on hormone replacement therapy missing.

hyperaldosteronism

A rare disease that develops in the event that the adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone. For the disease characterized by complaints of headaches, irregular heart rate, hypertension, and edema are common. If the disease long ignored, will strain the fundus, will develop renal failure.

To examine diagnostic hyperaldosteronism aldosterone levels in blood and urine, is measured levels of potassium and sodium in the body. Also pay attention to the work of the renin-angiotensin system. For treatment are appointed glucocorticosteroids, in some cases, require surgery.

pheochromocytoma

Neoplastic disease in which the blood enters a large number of catecholamine hormones. The main manifestation - hypertensive crises, Which are characterized by headaches and chest pain, severe increase in blood pressure, shortness of breath. In some cases there may be blurred vision, stroke.

For the diagnosis of disease level tested adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine in the body, it is recommended to pass an MRI. Treatment is mainly surgical. If pheochromocytoma is diagnosed in time, the prognosis is favorable.

Hyperplasia congenital adrenal type

A rare genetic disease in which certain areas of the adrenocortical too increased in size, from which impairs their function. Early symptoms may be deepening of voice, the appearance of hair in the intimate zone before puberty, dehydration, loss of memory, the growth is not age-appropriate.

Diagnosis is performed on the basis of clinical and laboratory data. Treatment consists in the selection of individual hormone therapy. However, not be able to achieve a full recovery, since congenital disease.

adrenal hormones

Adrenal glands - small paired structure, but they emit large amounts of important for the normal functioning of the hormones of the body. Among them:

• adrenaline - a hormone produced in the medulla, responsible for an adequate reaction of the organism to various stress factors;
• norepinephrine - a precursor of adrenaline, is also responsible for adapting to adverse conditions, but has a less pronounced effect on the body;
• aldosterone - hormone glomerular area that supports the normal ratio of sodium and potassium in the body, which controls the water and salt exchange;
• corticosterone - inactive hormone, which is also necessary for the proper maintenance of water-salt balance;
• dezoksiokrtikosteron - is responsible for the maintenance of muscle tone in the system, improves resistance organima also partly involved in the maintenance of water-salt balance;
• cortisol - a hormone synthesized in the beam area is responsible for the normal flow of energy processes in the body, plays a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates;
• androgens³, Synthesized in the beam area, responsible for the normal functioning of reproductive organs, the proper development of the organism in accordance with the floor.

Despite its small size, the adrenal glands - an important part of the human body. Of course, thanks to modern drugs without the adrenal glands can live, but in this case the person entitled lifelong hormone therapy, as these bodies regulate too many vital processes in the body.