This ACTH suppression from glucocorticoid medication can be very temporary, prolonged, or permanent depending on the dose, potency and length of use of the medication. When the cells in the pituitary recognize any of these drugs, they sense that there is cortisol present and therefore produce less ACTH. intravenous or intramuscular administrationĪll of these medications have an effect on ACTH because the pituitary is producing this hormone in response to the body’s need for cortisol.oral form: cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone.Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that act like cortisol, and include:

The most common cause of this type is the use of glucocorticoid medications to treat a large variety of illnesses. Diseases that cause a suppression of ACTH production.Diseases that cause a total absence of ACTH, resulting in destruction of either the hypothalamus or pituitary gland.The two major types of secondary adrenal insufficiency are:.What causes Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency? This results in a partial or total deficiency of cortisol, but often a normal or near normal production of aldosterone. Secondary adrenal insufficiency, in contrast, is due to the absence of the normal stimulation to the adrenal cortex from a lack of ACTH. Primary adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison’s disease, is caused by the total or near total destruction of the adrenal glands and results in the severe deficiency of both cortisol and aldosterone. In most individuals, aldosterone production is not dependent on ACTH. It makes two important steroid hormones, cortisol and aldosterone.ĬORTISOL mobilizes nutrients, modifies the body’s response to inflammation, stimulates the liver to raise the blood sugar, and also helps to control the amount of water in the body.ĪLDOSTERONE regulates salt and water levels which affects blood volume and blood pressure.Ĭortisol production is regulated by another hormone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), made in the pituitary gland, which is located just below the brain. The outer portion of the adrenal is called the cortex. The inner part produces epinephrine (also called adrenaline). The adrenal glands are really two endocrine glands in one.

There are normally two adrenal glands, located one above each kidney.

Addison's disease adrenaline