Consumers' CHECKBOOK Logo
Addison's Disease — Overview, Symptoms, Treatments, and Other Resources.
Addison's Disease (also known as Adrenocortical Hypofunction, Chronic Adrenocortical Insufficiency, and Hypocortisolism)
Comprehensive Guides
Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease
Adrenal insufficiency is an endocrine—or hormonal—disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of certain hormones. The adrenal glands are located just above the kidneys. Adrenal insufficiency can be primary or secondary. See more from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Information on Addison's Disease at Mayo Clinic
Mayoclinic.com addison's disease information.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Addison's Disease Information at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Adrenal Insufficiency; Adrenocortical Hypofunction; Chronic Adrenocortical Insufficiency; Hypoadrenalism. Read more at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.




Fact Sheets, Tutorials, Interactive Tools, and other Interesting Information
Addison's Disease Owner's Manual
The 24-page Addison's disease owners manual provides a guide for Addisonians about the practicalities of managing their health day-to-day. It has been co-written by members of the ADSHG and endocrinologist Professor John Wass. Read this free guide at Addison's Disease Self Help Group UK.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
1 of 1 people found this resource helpful.



Managing Adrenal Insufficiency
This 9-page booklet was developed by the patient care staff of the Clinical Center to help patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) understand their condition and how to take care of it. It explains what causes adrenal insufficiency and how it can be controlled. If left untreated, adrenal insufficiency can cause serious illness or death. But by working with their doctors and nurses, patients can learn how to manage this condition. Get the booklet at the National Institutes of Health.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.




Videos and Podcasts
Video Video: Addison's Disease
Addison's disease is a disorder that results in your body producing insufficient amounts of certain hormones produced by your adrenal glands. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of Addison's in this video presented at LiveStrong.com.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.




Forums & Support Communities


Important Articles from Medical Journals
Abstract: Pathogenesis of primary adrenal insufficiency.
Autoimmune Addison's disease is caused by autoreactivity towards the adrenal cortex involving 21-hydroxylase autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells. Autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex is triggered by hitherto unknown environmental factors in individuals with genetic susceptibility. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: The substrate-binding domain of 21-hydroxylase, the main autoantigen in autoimmune Addison's disease, is an immunodominant T cell epitope.
The steroidogenic enzyme 21-hydroxylase (21OH) is the main autoantigen in autoimmune primary adrenal failure (Addison's disease). Autoantibodies against 21OH are immunological markers of an ongoing autoimmune process but are not directly involved in the tissue destruction. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: The tryptophan 620 allele of the lymphoid tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN22) gene predisposes to autoimmune Addison's disease.
Previous studies of the association between autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) and a nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the PTPN22 gene (C1858T, pR620W; SNP ID no. rs2476601) have shown conflicting results. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Therapeutic management of adrenal insufficiency.
Replacement therapy in adrenal insufficiency comprises treatment with glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and adrenal androgen precursors. Initiation of hormone replacement therapy in newly diagnosed adrenal insufficiency leads to rapid and impressive improvements. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Replacement therapy for Addison's disease: recent developments.
The hormone deficiencies in Addison's disease (primary adrenal insufficiency) are conventionally treated with oral glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement but the available therapies do not restore the physiological hormone levels and biorhythm. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Replacement therapy of oral hydrocortisone in adrenal insufficiency: the influence of gastrointestinal factors.
Replacing glucocorticoids in primary adrenal insufficiency (AI) or Addison's disease (AD) is today based on oral replacement therapy with hydrocortisone in a conventional immediate-release tablet. It is recognised that physiological gastrointestinal factors may have a strong influence on the plasma concentration-time profile of hydrocortisone. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Glucocorticoid replacement therapy and pharmacogenetics in Addison's disease: effects on bone.
Patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) receive more glucococorticoids than the normal endogenous production, raising concern about adverse effects on bone. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone replacement on vascular function in primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency: a randomized crossover trial.
Patients with Addison's disease and hypopituitarism have increased mortality, chiefly related to vascular disease. Both diseases are characterized by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) deficiency, yet this is not usually corrected. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Influence of hydrocortisone dosage scheme on health related quality of life in patients with adrenal insufficiency.
Recent studies suggest that current glucocorticoid replacement therapies fail to completely restore well-being in patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI). See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Fine tuning for quality of life: 21st century approach to treatment of Addison's disease.
Despite treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, the ability to work and quality of life of patients who have adrenal insufficiency remains low. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Diagnosis and management of Addison's disease during pregnancy.
Although primary adrenal failure is considered a rare condition, recent epidemiological studies indicate a rising incidence of the disease owing to the increase of autoimmune disorders. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Risk factors for adrenal crisis in patients with adrenal insufficiency.
Patients with adrenal insufficiency have a life-threatening risk of adrenal crisis, thus preventing adrenal crisis is an important clinical issue. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Partial recovery of adrenal function in a patient with autoimmune Addison's disease.
OBJECTIVE: To our knowledge, no case of remission in autoimmune Addison's disease has previously been reported. We describe a patient with primary adrenal insufficiency caused by autoimmune adrenalitis in whom partial remission was observed after 7 yr. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.



Abstract: Normal overall mortality rate in Addison's disease, but young patients are at risk of premature death.
Primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) is a rare autoimmune disease. Until recently, life expectancy in Addison's disease patients was considered normal. See Abstract at PubMed.

Read more ...

Was this resource helpful to you?
0 of 0 people found this resource helpful.




Looking for a Top-Rated Endocrinologist?
Consumers' Guide to Top Doctors finds the Doctors Rated Best by other Doctors
To find out who the top doctors are around the country, nonprofit Consumers' CHECKBOOK surveyed roughly 340,000 physicians to tell us which specialists they would want to care for a loved one. The Top Doctors database contains the names of over 23,000 doctors who were mentioned most often. Find top-rated doctors in the fifty largest metropolitan areas, in over thirty-five specialties, and more.
Adrenal Glands
Source: Human Diseases and Conditions

ACTH Causes Adrenals to Release Cortisol.
Source: NIH

Consumers' Guide to Top Doctors finds the Doctors Rated Best by other Doctors in over 30 specialties.

Search Top Doctors database of 23,000 top-rated physicians by Doctor's Name

Search Top Doctors database of 23,000 top-rated physicians by Specialty (over 35 different fields included)

Major Endocrine Glands
Source: adrenalcancerinfo

Consumers' Guide to Hospitals
Which Hospital Should You Choose
(or Avoid)?
"What makes the Consumers' Guide to Hospitals so special? We've got 30 million answers to that question. That's how many hospital records Consumers' CHECKBOOK sifted through to calculate risk-adjusted death rates and adverse-outcome rates, and that's just part of the data used to rate the hospitals. The organization also sent out more than 280,000 questionnaires to physicians in 53 major metropolitan areas in the United States, asking them to rate their local hospitals; checked ratings of the hospitals by surveyed consumers; checked which hospitals were providing recommended tests and procedures for patients with specified medical problems; and more."
AARP The Magazine

Return to the Diseases & Treatments A-Z page

Please type in the letters below. We ask this to prevent automated programs and "bots" from rating resources.

CHECKBOOK Home      Privacy      Security      About      Contact Us         
Copyright 2013 Center for the Study of Services. All Rights Reserved.
CHECKBOOK is a trademark and service mark of the Center for the Study of Services and is registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office.