Hypofunction of the Adrenals

Abstract

Adrenal hypofunction exists in three forms: Addison’s disease, a term used to describe primary adrenal failure, secondary hypoadrenalism, a consequence of pituitary ACTH deficiency, and selective hypoaldosteronism, which, as the term implies, reflects a breakdown in the mechanisms that mediate the synthesis and release of that mineralocorticoid. The hypoadrenalism caused by pituitary disease is discussed in Chapter 5. This chapter focuses on Addison’s disease (usually resulting in “panhypoadrenalism”) and selective hypoaldosteronism, in which the zona fasciculata and reticularis are structurally and functionally intact.