Addison's Disease Summary

Autoimmune destruction of the adrenal glands is the commonest cause of primary hypoadrenalism in the UK, accounting for 80% of cases

Features

• lethargy, weakness, anorexia, nausea & vomiting, weight loss, 'salt-craving'
• hyperpigmentation (especially palmar creases), vitiligo, loss of pubic hair in women, hypotension
• crisis: collapse, shock, pyrexia

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