Adrenal Gland Disorders

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

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• Children
• Teenagers
• Patient Handouts

Summary

The adrenal glands are small glands located on top of each kidney. They produce hormones that you can't live without, including sex hormones and cortisol. Cortisol helps you respond to stress and has many other important functions.

With adrenal gland disorders, your glands make too much or not enough hormones. In Cushing's syndrome, there's too much cortisol, while with Addison's disease, there is too little. Some people are born unable to make enough cortisol.

Causes of adrenal gland disorders include

• Genetic mutations
• Tumors including pheochromocytomas
• Infections
• A problem in another gland, such as the pituitary, which helps to regulate the adrenal gland
• Certain medicines

Treatment depends on which problem you have. Surgery or medicines can treat many adrenal gland disorders.

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Start Here

• Adrenal Gland Disorders: Condition Information (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

• What Are the Symptoms of Adrenal Gland Disorders? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• 17-Hydroxyprogesterone Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Aldosterone and Renin Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Collection of a 24-Hour Urine Specimen (Beyond the Basics) (UpToDate)
• Cortisol Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• DHEAS Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• How Do Health Care Providers Diagnose Adrenal Gland Disorders? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• X-Ray Exam: Bone Age Study (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• How Is Adrenal Surgery Performed? (American Association of Endocrine Surgeons)
• Laparoscopic Adrenal Gland Removal (Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons)
• What Are the Treatments for Adrenal Gland Disorders? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• What Are the Treatments for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Managing Adrenal Insufficiency (National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center) - PDF

Related Issues

• Adrenal Fatigue (Endocrine Society, Hormone Health Network)
• Health Alert: Adrenal Crisis Causes Death in Some People Who Were Treated with hGH (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• How Do I Find an Experienced Adrenal Surgeon? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
• Hypertension (Hormone Health Network)
• Is There Such a Thing as Adrenal Fatigue? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Adrenal Gland Cancer: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Adrenal Incidentaloma (Hormone Health Network) Also in Spanish
• Adrenal Insufficiency (Hormone Health Network) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Adrenal Insufficiency and Addison's Disease (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Adrenoleukodystrophy (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Primary Aldosteronism (Hormone Health Network) - PDF
• Primary Aldosteronism (Hormone Health Network) Also in Spanish
• Virilization (Adrenogenital Syndrome) (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
• What Are Some Types of Adrenal Gland Disorders? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: 17 alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: 21-hydroxylase deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: aldosterone-producing adenoma (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: autoimmune Addison disease (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 11-beta-hydroxylase deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: corticosterone methyloxidase deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: familial hyperaldosteronism (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: intrauterine growth restriction, metaphyseal dysplasia, adrenal hypoplasia congenita, and genital anomalies (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: primary macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Adrenal Gland Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: GENETICS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: The expanding genetic horizon of primary aldosteronism.
• Article: Evaluation of the Saline Infusion Test and the Captopril Challenge...
• Article: Regulation of aldosterone production by ion channels: From basal secretion...
• Adrenal Gland Disorders -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Endocrine System (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• Hormone Health Network
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Children

• Blood Test: 17-Hydroxyprogesterone (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

• Endocrine System (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• 17-OH progesterone (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• 24-hour urinary aldosterone excretion rate (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• ACTH (cosyntropin) stimulation test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• ACTH blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Acute adrenal crisis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Adrenal glands (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Adrenalectomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Aldosterone blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hyperaldosteronism - primary and secondary (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish