Question

What are the causes and symptoms of Addison disease?

Answer 1

1. Hyposecretion of adrenal cortical hormones due to surgical removal or atrophy of adrenal cortex causes Addison’s disease.
2. Its symptoms include:

• Excessive loss of Na⁺, Cl^–
• Increased K⁺ level in blood leads to arrhythmia, dehydration, blood pressure and cardiac output decreases.
• Skin pigmentation increases (colour darkens) due to decreased levels of cortisol in blood and increase in ACTH.
• Hypoglycemia is seen.