hypoadrenocorticism
Noun: A glandular disorder caused by the failure of function of the cortex of the adrenal gland. It is characterized by anemia, prostration (extreme fatigue or weakness), and brownish pigmentation of the skin.
This is a medical term. It is used in clinical and scientific contexts to describe a specific endocrine condition resulting from adrenal insufficiency. - The patient was diagnosed with hypoadrenocorticism after presenting with chronic fatigue and hyperpigmentation. - Hypoadrenocorticism requires lifelong hormone replacement therapy.
The term is synonymous with Addison's disease, which is the more common name for this condition in clinical practice. - While hypoadrenocorticism is the precise pathological description, most physicians refer to it as Addison's disease.
- Adrenal insufficiency: A broader term that can encompass hypoadrenocorticism.
- Addison's disease: The eponymous and more frequently used term for this disorder.
- Adrenocortical insufficiency: Another technical synonym.
- Addison's disease
- Adrenocortical insufficiency
- Primary adrenal insufficiency
This term refers specifically to a primary failure of the adrenal cortex. It is distinct from secondary or tertiary adrenal insufficiency, which are caused by problems with the pituitary gland or hypothalamus, respectively. The hallmark symptoms include the triad of weakness, weight loss, and hyperpigmentation (brownish skin).
- a glandular disorder caused by failure of function of the cortex of the adrenal gland and marked by anemia and prostration with brownish skin