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Cushing's syndrome

Other Names for this Disease
  • Adrenal cortex adenoma
  • Adrenal hyperfunction resulting from pituitary acth excess
  • Cushing syndrome
  • Ectopic ACTH syndrome
  • Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome
More Names
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Overview


Cushing's syndrome is an endocrine disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Excess cortisol may be the result of long-term use of corticosteroid medications or tumors in the pituitary or adrenal glands. Symptoms of Cushing's syndrome include obesity, fatigue, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, easy bruising and stretch marks. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, but may include decreasing the dosage of corticosteroids or removing the causative tumor.[1][2]


References

  1. NINDS Cushing's Syndrome Information Page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cushings/cushings.htm. Accessed February 26, 2013.
  2. Cushing's Syndrome. National Endocrine and Metabolic. http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/cushings/cushings.aspx. Accessed February 26, 2013.
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General Information

  • The Cushing's Support and Research Foundation provides information and support for people with Cushing syndrome. Click on Cushing's Support and Research Foundation to view information on Cushing's.
  • MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information.
  • The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library provides information on this condition. Click on the link to view the information.
  • The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) collects and disseminates research information related to neurological disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), part of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), conducts and supports research on a broad spectrum of diseases affecting public health. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs.  Access to this database is free of charge.  Click on the link to read information on this topic.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Cushing's syndrome. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
  • The The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database contains genetics resources that discuss Cushing's syndrome. Click on the link to go to OMIM and review these resources.