Cushing’s syndrome is a disorder that occurs when your body makes too much of the hormone cortisol over a long period of time. Cortisol is sometimes called the “stress hormone” because it helps your body respond to stress.
It should come as no surprise that administration of ACTH can be used to test for insufficient adrenal function. Keep in mind that measures of ACTH and cortisol sometimes give an answer and obviate the need for further testing.
From Lewis S. Blevins Jr, MD – Transphenoidal pituitary surgery is the treatment of choice In the setting of Cushing’s disease due to a well-defined pituitary adenoma. Occasionally, patients with a suspected pituitary adenoma, but
From Lewis S Blevins Jr., MD – Twenty-four hour urine collections are often employed to estimate the production rates of various hormones. The accuracy of test results depends entirely on the proper collection of the
From Lewis S Blevins, Jr. MD – All too often, I see patients who come to the clinic with devastating recurrences of their pituitary tumors. For example, the accompanying MRI depicts a recurrent pituitary tumor in
From Lewis Blevins, MD – Photo of Dr. Lewis Blevins – Cortisol is a stress hormone. Thus, physical or psychic stress can elevate cortisol levels in normal persons. Depression and alcoholism can elevate cortisol