Cushing's Disease: A Case Study

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Recommended: Mild cushing's syndrome

After the removal of the tumour there is enough ACTH getting produced by the pituitary gland which means the adrenal glands isn’t producing enough cortisol
Injection or oral intake of synthetic cortisol is the only treatment involved in Cushing’s disease
Medicine called: Glucocorticoid medication
This hormone treatment can take as long as months or even years until the patient’s cortisol can return back to normal
In serious cases the pituitary gland is removed with the tumour meaning the patient will need lifelong hormone replacement therapy




Necessity of Hormone (Synthetic cortisol) Therapy for Cushing’s Disease
After the tumour has been removed, hormone theory involving cortisol injection is needed to ac as the pituitary temporarily and somethings permanently as the pituitary gland stops …show more content…

The hormone treatments either taken orally with a tablet or a synthetic cortisol injection into the shoulder
The effects on the body without cortisol:
Weakens
Fatigue
Insomnia
Anxiety
Nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting
Over stressing
Heart palpitations
These symptoms causes an unbalance of homeostasis and are not normal
By doing hormone treatment, it substitutes for cortisol that is currently or premanetly not being made thus preventing all the above symptoms
This ensures that blood sugar levels are right and that a patient can cope and deal with stress


Side Effects
Cortisol flared caused by injection
Pain in joints is usually due to the solution crystallising
This pain can last up to 1-2 days
Injection site can:
Change skin colour
Skin indentation
Infection in joint
Ununsal menstrual patterns
Suppressed immune systen
Increased blood pressure
Bone loss
Increased fat deposit


Risks
A huge risk is that the body starts relying on the external cortisol from hormone treatments which can causing the adrenal gland to stop making cortisol
Lethal or permanent damage to the pituitary gland or nervous system can occur when the tumour is being surgical

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