Inability of adrenal glands to generate enough glucocorticoids +/− mineralocorticoids for the body’s needs. Can be acute or chronic.

Symptoms include weakness, fatigue, orthostatic hypotension, muscle aches, weight loss, GI disturbances, sugar and/or salt cravings.

Treatment: glucocorticoid +/− mineralocorticoid replacement.

Addison’s Disease

Other causes of hypoadrenalism

Primary causes

• tuberculosis
• metastases (e.g. bronchial carcinoma)
• meningococcal septicaemia (Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome)
• HIV
• antiphospholipid syndrome

Secondary causes

• pituitary disorders (e.g. tumours, irradiation, infiltration)

Exogenous glucocorticoid therapy

Secondary Adrenal insufficiency

secondary failure in the elaboration of ACTH

commonest cause is iatrogenic, due to long-term steroid therapy