Clinical Manifestations
Headaches and vision issues because of an increase in intracranial pressure.
Pseudo-tumor cerebri
This endocrine pathway becomes hyper-stimulated, resulting in bilateral adrenal hyperplasia
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
Specialized blood test taken near the pituitary gland to measure ACTH levels
Inferior petrosal sinus sampling
This antifungal medication inhibits 11-beta-hydroxylase and 17-alpha-hydroxylase and is used to treat cortisol overproduction.
Ketoconazole
Historical theories suggest that this major leader had this disease because he was known to have mood swings, sudden weight gain and muscle weakness
King Henry VIII
Despite central obesity, patients display this phenomenon of thin, wasted limbs due to protein catabolism.
Muscle Wasting
Cortisol elevates blood glucose by increasing this metabolic process in the liver.
Gluconeogenesis
When ACTH is low and cortisol is high, imaging is typically focused on this organ to find the source
Adrenal gland
This is the first-line treatment for the disorder caused by a pituitary adenoma.
Transsphenoidal surgery
When treatment is successful, most symptoms improve overtime but this tissue takes the longest to rebuild
Bone
Fat deposition in the posterior neck produces this characteristic sign named after an animal.
Buffalo Hump
Cortisol-induced bone loss happens partly because it activates this type of bone-resorbing cell.
Osteoclasts
This hormone is often elevated at night even though it normally peaks in the morning and drops in the evening
Cortisol
If adrenal glands are removed or damaged, patients will need this type of hormone replaced for life
Glucocorticoids
People with chronically elevated cortisol may crave foods high in this combination because the hormone influences appetite and electrolyte balance.
Salt and sugar
This type of skin change appears as purple or violet lines on the abdomen, breasts, or thighs.
Purple stretch marks
Excess cortisol suppresses this pituitary hormone through negative feedback
ACTH
This 24-hour urine measurement is one of the standard first-line screening tests.
24 hour free cortisol
When a pituitary or adrenal tumor is responsible, this intervention is the primary therapy
Surgical removal
This syndrome, named after a famous boxer can resemble the disorder when caused by excessive steroid use.
Moon face syndrome
One of the "biggest" physical signs of the disorder.
Facial rounding from cortisol
Chronic cortisol exposure causes involution of this immune organ contributing to increased infection risk.
Thymus
In the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test, cortisol should normally show this change.
Suppression
After curative surgery, patients need temporary replacement of this hormone until the HPA axis recovers.
Cortisol
The disorder is named after the doctor who discovered it.
Harvey Cushing