What is Addison's Disease?

Addison's disease occurs when the adrenal cortex is broken. This disease is diagnosed in both men and women, mostly middle-aged (from 30 to 40 years). This is a fairly rare disease, which is recorded from one person to 100 thousand people. Addison Burmer's disease can develop due to autoimmune processes, infectious diseases (syphilis, adrenal tuberculosis and typhoid), as well as in amyloidosis and malignant tumors. In 70% of patients, the disease occurs due to failures in the immune system (antibodies begin to take the body cells for foreign bodies, attack and destroy them). When the cells of the adrenal cortex are destroyed, the synthesis of gluco- and mineralocorticoids (cortisol, 11-deoxycorticosterone, aldosterone) decreases. Scientists have proved that glucocorticoids regulate a variety of biochemical processes in the body (regulates blood pressure, insulin concentration, participates in the regulation of the synthesis of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates).

Often hypocorticism is observed in patients taking hormones of the adrenal cortex. In most cases, the etiology of the disease remains unclear. Adrenal insufficiency is classified into primary and secondary. Primary insufficiency develops in the defeat of adrenal tissue, and secondary - is due to insufficient stimulation of their adrenocorticotropic hormone.

Addison's Disease: Symptoms

Clinical signs of the disease are caused by a deficiency in the body of mineral- and glucocorticoids. The most characteristic signs are adynamia, hypotension, dysfunctionality of the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, which are often replaced by diarrhea). In some patients, hypochlorhydria is observed.

Addison's disease is accompanied by increased irritability or depressive condition, frequent headaches and insomnia. X-ray examination of the chest organs shows a decrease in the size of the heart. The electrocardiogram registers signs of hyperkalemia (increased concentration of potassium in the blood). Skin pigmentation does not reflect the severity of the disease, but increasing or decreasing it during treatment indicates the effectiveness of therapeutic actions.

Addison's disease with secondary origin is characterized by less severe symptoms. Very rarely the disease manifests itself without pigmentation of the skin (so called "white addison"). The main cause of this disease is adrenal tuberculosis. In the absence of appropriate treatment, Addison's disease is complicated. Clinical signs are worse: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, blood pressure is sharply reduced, the concentration of potassium in the blood increases. In the peripheral blood, the amount of residual nitrogene, the number of erythrocytes, the hemoglobin content increases. Therefore, if during the addison's crisis the patient does not receive timely assistance, he dies with signs of renal and cardiovascular insufficiency.

The most significant laboratory indicators for diagnosis are 17-OX in blood plasma and 17-CS in urine, as well as a decrease in blood glucose. Morphological examination of the blood indicates lymphocytosis, eosinophilia and delayed ESR.

Addison's disease is differentiated from the following diseases: bronze diabetes, pellagra, poisoning with arsenum, bismuth and argentum. This disease, as a rule, has a chronic course with periodic exacerbation. The severity of Addison Birmer's disease is determined by the severity of the main signs of the disease, as well as by the number of medications that are needed to compensate for adrenal insufficiency.