Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T13:05:45.717Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

61 - Adrenal crisis

from Section 10 - Endocrine emergencies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2013

Kaushal Shah
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York
Jarone Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
Kamal Medlej
Affiliation:
American University of Beirut
Scott D. Weingart
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York
Get access

Summary

This chapter discusses the diagnosis, evaluation and management of adrenal crisis. It presents special circumstances with regard to steroids and sepsis, chronic adrenal insufficiency and sepsis, and chronic adrenal insufficiency and procedures. Patients with adrenal insufficiency usually present with nonspecific symptoms including weakness/fatigue, weight loss, anorexia, abdominal pain, fever, and depression. Acute adrenal insufficiency can appear to be a severe gastroenteritis with fever, vomiting, and dehydration, but this can quickly progress to vascular collapse and death. Refractory hypotension is the hallmark of adrenal crisis. If the patient with suspected adrenal insufficiency experiences sudden cardiovascular collapse, adrenal hemorrhage must be considered. Hydrocortisone 100 mg IV should be started, and central venous access is obtained to give fluids and vasopressors for resuscitation. If the BP does not improve, fludrocortisone can be added. If the patient continues to deteriorate, another cause should be suspected.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×