Addison's disease is a relatively rare disease that occurs when the glands blockers, located in the upper part of the kidney, do not produce sufficient amounts of hormones, especially cortisol and aldosterone.

Cortisol acts on most organs and is important for normal functioning of the body. Glands release cortisol blockers to help the body respond to stress by the country's disease, surgical procedures, births or other causes. Aldosterone retains salt and water in the body and maintains blood pressure.

Hormone production in the gland blockers is regulated by the brain, the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland (pituitary). The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland to produce an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which will stimulate the production of the adrenal cortisol. If the production of cortisol secretion is low due to insufficient adrenergic blockers failure, this disease is called the Addison’s disease.

If the hypothalamus or pituitary gland is not working properly and a low amount of ACTH, the disease is insufficient secondary blockers. The most common Addison’s disease symptoms develop gradually and slowly install.

Most frequent Addison’s disease symptoms are:
- Muscle weakness and fatigue that is worse with time
- Weight loss. Massive weight loss is a common symptom
- Drop to the lack of appetite.

Other symptoms are:
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain
- Appetite for salt
- dark skin- This manifests itself most often in areas with scars on the envelope, on the lips or skin around the mouth or nose, in the knee, elbow, finger joints of the feet or hand
- Feeling dizzy when rising from a sitting position. This is called orthostatic hypotension
- Tremors. People with Addison's disease sometimes have low levels of glucose (blood sugar level)
- Difficulty in concentrating increased irritability or depressive syndrome.

As the symptoms gradually install, they most often are not detected until it is installed adrenergic crisis. This crisis is caused by a stressful event such as a severe infection, trauma, a surgical procedure or dehydration. The body is unable to make enough cortisol to cope with stress. If this crisis is not treated the patient may die from the shock caused by a drop in blood.

Adrenergic crisis symptoms are:
- Severe vomiting and diarrhea leading to loss of large amounts of fluids (dehydration)
- Extreme weakness, faint feeling of imminent
- Pain suddenly appeared in the abdomen, back or legs
- Abnormal behavior: restlessness, confusion, feeling of fear leave
- High fever
- Extreme pale cyanotic lips and ear lobes (red-violet).

Treatment is usually for life, if you have Addison's disease. Once established therapy people with Addison's disease lead a normal life.

Treatment includes hormone replacement, medication, cortisol and aldosterone. - Often is used hydrocortisone because it can substitute for both hormones. If you are using another medicine instead of hydrocortisone, such as prednisolone, methylprednisolone or dexamethasone and the administration of a compound will replace aldosterone. Doses are increased during childhood, during periods of stress: injuries, surgical procedures or severe infection and if that produces a strong emotional stress.