The symptoms of Addison's disease can appear gradually, being usually characterized by an increased desire to consume salt, excessive tiredness, muscle weakness, muscle and joint pain and changes in skin pigmentation.
Addison's disease happens when the adrenal or adrenal gland has changes in its function, leading to decreased hormone production. Treatment should be carried out throughout life, and the use of corticosteroids and hormone replacement is usually indicated by the endocrinologist. Know the causes and treatment for Addison's disease.
Main symptoms
The symptoms of Addison's disease usually appear gradually, according to how the disease develops, but they can also appear suddenly, the main ones being:
- Muscle weakness; Skin pigmentation changes that darken the hands, face, knees and elbows; Thinning without apparent cause; Loss of appetite; Gastrointestinal malaise such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; Drop in pressure when standing up, feeling dizzy; Hair loss: Abdominal pain; Excessive desire to eat salt, as there is a great loss of salt in the urine; Fever; Nausea; Fatigue; Muscle and joint pain; Alteration in the level of consciousness; Decreased libido; Alteration in the menstrual cycle, in the case of women; loss of body hair.
The treatment of Addison's disease is established by the endocrinologist according to the symptoms presented by the patient, and the treatment must be done throughout life, as this disease has no cure. Corticosteroid medications and hormonal therapy are usually indicated to balance the level of hormones in the body.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of Addison's disease is usually made in more advanced stages of the disease, because the wear and tear of the adrenal glands most often occurs gradually, with many symptoms not manifesting initially.
The diagnosis is made by the endocrinologist through a clinical examination, in which the symptoms presented by the patient are observed, followed by laboratory and imaging tests. The requested blood test aims to check the concentration of sodium and potassium in the blood, in addition to checking the amount of circulating leukocytes and lymphocytes. In addition, the ACTH stimulation test can be performed, in which the cortisol concentration is measured before and after the application of the synthetic ACTH injection.
Regarding imaging exams, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging may be ordered to assess the adrenal glands.
Differential diagnosis
The symptoms of Addison's disease can be confused with other diseases, so it is important that as many tests as possible are performed to allow differentiation of the various conditions. Differential diagnosis is usually made for pituitary tumors, as this type of tumor can lead to changes in the production of the ACTH hormone, which can result in symptoms similar to Addison's disease.
In addition to pituitary tumors, a differential diagnosis is made for tuberculosis, pituitary sarcoidosis, vitiligo and chronic skin diseases, as they can also develop with hyperpigmentation in some regions of the body.
