adrenal cortical steroid
Noun: A steroid hormone that is naturally produced by the adrenal cortex or can be synthetically manufactured. When administered as drugs, these steroids reduce inflammation (swelling) and suppress the body's immune response. Adrenal cortical steroids are used to treat a wide variety of medical conditions.
This term is primarily used in medical, biochemical, and pharmacological contexts to refer to a class of hormones and medications. It is a formal, technical term.
- The doctor prescribed an adrenal cortical steroid to control the severe inflammation.
- Cortisol is a natural adrenal cortical steroid.
- Treatment with adrenal cortical steroids can have significant side effects.
- The phrase is often shortened in clinical settings to "corticosteroids" or simply "steroids" (though this can be ambiguous, as it may also refer to anabolic steroids).
- It can be used attributively (as a noun modifier) in terms like "adrenal cortical steroid therapy" or "adrenal cortical steroid deficiency."
- Corticosteroid (n): The more common and general synonym for adrenal cortical steroid.
- Glucocorticoid (n): A major subclass of adrenal cortical steroids (like cortisol and prednisone) that primarily affect metabolism and are potent anti-inflammatory agents.
- Mineralocorticoid (n): Another subclass of adrenal cortical steroids (like aldosterone) that regulate electrolyte and water balance.
- Corticosteroid
- Corticoid (less common)
While the core definition is singular, it is crucial to distinguish this class of drugs from anabolic steroids, which are different compounds used to build muscle mass. In common medical parlance, "steroid" often implicitly means an adrenal cortical steroid (corticosteroid) used for anti-inflammatory purposes.
- a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex or synthesized; administered as drugs they reduce swelling and decrease the body's immune response
- adrenal cortical steroids are used to treat many different conditions