Addison's Disease Overview
Addison’s disease, also called adrenal insufficiency, is an uncommon disorder that occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough of certain hormones. In Addison’s disease, your adrenal glands, located just above your kidneys, produce too little cortisol and, often, too little aldosterone.
Addison’s disease occurs in all age groups and both sexes, and can be life-threatening. Treatment involves taking hormones to replace those that are missing.
Symptoms
- Extreme fatigue
- Weight loss and decreased appetite
- Darkening of your skin
- Low blood pressure, even fainting
- Salt craving
- Low blood sugar
- Nausea, diarrhea or vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Muscle or joint pains
- Irritability
- Depression or other behavioral symptoms
- Body hair loss or sexual dysfunction in women
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When to see a Doctor
If you have risk factors for coronary artery disease — such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tobacco use, diabetes, obesity a strong family history of heart disease — talk to your doctor. Your doctor may want to test you for coronary artery disease, especially if you have signs or symptoms of narrowed arteries.