Addisonian Crisis

Excerpt

Addisonian crisis, also known as adrenal crisis or acute adrenal insufficiency, is an endocrinologic emergency with a high mortality rate secondary to physiologic derangements from an acute deficiency of the adrenal hormone cortisol, requiring immediate recognition and treatment to avoid death . It is characterized as an acute change in physiologic status, quickly progression from nonspecific symptoms of fatigue, weakness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, back pain, diarrhea, dizziness, hypotension, syncope, eventually to obtundation, metabolic encephalopathy, and shock. The mainstay of treatment is early recognition of the underlying adrenal insufficiency and resolution of symptoms after administering IV fluids and parenteral glucocorticoid administration.

Addisonian crisis refers to an episode of acute adrenal insufficiency (which may be primary, secondary, or tertiary), which is a medical emergency. Chronic, stable primary adrenal insufficiency is called Addison disease, a chronic condition controlled with long-term glucocorticoid therapy.