Addison's Disease
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Addison's disease is when the adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol or aldosterone. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress by maintaining blood pressure, heart function and blood glucose levels. Aldosterone helps the body maintain a constant blood pressure and blood volume by affecting sodium and potassium levels in the blood, which determines how much water is going to be released in the urine (my.clevelandclinic.org).
Addison's disease results from the adrenal glands being damaged by the immune system, injury, infection such as HIV or tuberculosis, hemmorage into the adrenal glands, or genetic defects (nlm.nih.gov). This causes the hormones to be released in low quantities, disabling them to carry out their functions.
Symptoms of Addison's disease include chronic diarrhea, darkening of certain areas of the skin, dehydration, dizziness, paleness, extreme weakness, mouth lesions on the inside of the cheek, salt craving and weight loss (nlm.nih.gov).
Addison's disease results from the adrenal glands being damaged by the immune system, injury, infection such as HIV or tuberculosis, hemmorage into the adrenal glands, or genetic defects (nlm.nih.gov). This causes the hormones to be released in low quantities, disabling them to carry out their functions.
Symptoms of Addison's disease include chronic diarrhea, darkening of certain areas of the skin, dehydration, dizziness, paleness, extreme weakness, mouth lesions on the inside of the cheek, salt craving and weight loss (nlm.nih.gov).