Definition

Noun: A specific medical condition resulting from prolonged exposure to high levels of the hormone cortisol in the body. It is a glandular disorder, often caused by a tumor or excessive use of corticosteroid medications.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient was diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome after presenting with rapid weight gain and high blood pressure.
  • One of the challenges in treating Cushing's syndrome is identifying the exact source of the excess cortisol.
  • Long-term use of prednisone can sometimes lead to iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome.

Advanced Usage

• "ectopic Cushing's syndrome": A specific form of the disorder where the excess ACTH (the hormone that stimulates cortisol production) is secreted by a tumor outside the pituitary gland, such as in the lungs.
  • The medical team investigated the possibility of ectopic Cushing's syndrome given the patient's symptoms and scan results.

Variants and Related Words

• Cushing's disease (n): A specific subtype of Cushing's syndrome caused by a benign tumor of the pituitary gland that overproduces ACTH.
  • While Cushing's disease is a common cause, Cushing's syndrome can have several other origins.

Synonyms

• Hypercortisolism (n): The medical term for the state of excessive cortisol, which is the defining characteristic of Cushing's syndrome.

Related Terms and Concepts

• Cortisol (n): Often called the "stress hormone," it is the steroid hormone whose overproduction causes the symptoms of Cushing's syndrome.
• Adrenal gland (n): One of the two small glands located above the kidneys that produce cortisol; tumors here are a common cause of the syndrome.
• ACTH (n): Adrenocorticotropic hormone, which stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol.

Noun

1. a glandular disorder caused by excessive cortisol