TREATMENTS &
RESEARCH

Search the
latest
treatment
information
here.

Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist

Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.

Next Prev

Diseases » Cushing's syndrome » Glossary

Glossary for Cushing's syndrome

ACTH - Teratogenic Agent: Experimental studies on mice indicate that the use of ACTH during pregnancy may cause various harmful effects on the fetus. The likelihood and severity of symptoms may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at. The effect on human fetuses has not been conclusively determined.
Abdominal Pain: A condition which is characterized by the sensation of pain that is located in the abdomen
Acromegaly: A hormonal disorder involving excess growth hormone production by the pituitary gland.
Adenoma: General term for a benign tumor of a gland
Adrenal Cancer: A malignant cancer that develops in the adrenal gland. The tumor may be nonfunctioning (does not produce hormones) or functioning in which case excessive levels of hormones can cause a variety of symptoms depending on which hormone is involved. Adrenal hormones made in the cortex (outer part of the gland) are aldosterone, corticosteroids and androgenic steroids. Adrenalin and noradrenalin are the hormones made in the medulla (central part of the adrenal gland).
Adrenocortical carcinoma: A condition which is characterized by malignancy which affects the adrenocortex.
Amenorrhea: Absence of menstrual periods due to many possible causes.
Anorexia Nervosa: A disorder where a distorted sense of body image leads to self-starvation to the point of death in some cases.
Bronchogenic carcinoma: When cells of the lung start growing rapidly in an uncontrolled manner, the condition is called lung cancer .
Cataracts: Cloudy areas on the eye's cornea interfering with vision.
Chronic Alcoholism - Teratogenic Agent: There is strong evidence to indicate that chronic alcoholism during pregnancy may have a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Severe chronic fatigue disorder often following infection.
Corticotropin - Teratogenic Agent: There is evidence to indicate that exposure to Corticotropin during pregnancy may have a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
Cushing syndrome, familial: A hormonal disorder caused by high levels of the cortisol hormone due to the abnormal development of the adrenal gland.
Cushing's disease: A condition of hyperadrenocorticism which is secondary to excessive pituitary secretion of ACTH
Cushing's syndrome-induced hypertension: Cushing's syndrome-induced hypertension is high blood pressure caused by a condition caused Cushing's syndrome where the adrenal glands produce excessive amounts of cortisol.
Depression: Various syndromes with excessive anxiety, phobias, or fear.
Diabetes: Failing or reduced ability of the body to handle sugars.
Diabetes Insipidus: Rare pituitary disorder often affecting the kidneys.
Dilated cardiomyopathy: A rare chronic heart muscle condition where one or both heart ventricles are dilated or have impaired contractility.
Ectopic ACTH Syndrome: A tumour arising in the body which releases excess quantities of ACTH
Excess hair growth: A condition which is characterized by an abnormal excessive amount of hair growth
Female infertility: Infertility that affects the female
Fractures: Fracture of a bone; also "broken bone".
Gastro-enteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor: A rare form of gastrointestinal tumor. It includes two main groups of cancer called carcinoid and endocrine pancreatic tumors. Some of the tumors consist of hormone secreting cells which results in excessive secretion of certain hormones.
Hairiness: Increasing or heavy head or body hair
High Cholesterol: High levels of blood cholesterol, triglycerides, or other lipids.
High triglycerides: A condition characterized by elevated triglycerides in the blood
Hirsutism: Increased hairiness
Hyperadrenalism: Excessive levels of adrenal hormones in the body. Symptoms depend on which hormone is involved and the degree of involvement. Adrenal hormones are aldosterone, corticosteroids, androgenic steroids, epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Hyperlipidaemia: An elevated amount of lipids in the blood of the body
Hypernatraemia: increased concentration of sodium in the blood
Hypertension: High blood pressure
Hypokalaemia: Decreased concentration of potassium in the blood
Impaired glucose tolerance: Mild glucose metabolism problems not severe enough to be called diabetes.
Impotence: Inability to attain or sustain an erection.
Insulin Resistance: The resistance of the body to insulin
Kidney stones: Stone-like calcium deposits in the kidney.
Lipodystrophy: A rare group of disorders that can be acquired or inherited and involves adipose tissue abnormalities. The disorder is characterized by varying degrees of loss of body fat. The three forms of the condition are: total lipodystrophy, partial lipodystrophy and localized lipodystrophy.
Lung cancer: Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, which is the invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs. Most lung tumors are malignant.
McCune-Albright Syndrome: A rare genetic multisystem disorder characterized by abnormal skin pigmentation and endocrine gland dysfunction and replacement of parts of bone tissue with fibrous material.
Metabolic Syndrome: A common body syndrome with the "deadly quartet" of major conditions: obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high lipids.
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1: Rare inherited disease causing tumors in multiple glands
Myositis: One of the underlying causes for muscle weakness/myopathy.
Nelson Syndrome: The rapid growth of a pituitary adenoma (tumor) after the surgical removal of both adrenal glands to treat Cushing's disease. The condition is triggered by the resultant loss of the regulatory function of cortisol.
Obesity: An increase in the body weight greater than that required for normal function that is characterised by the accumulation of excessive fat
Osteoporosis: Bone thinning and weakening from bone calcium depletion.
Overweight: An increase in the body weight greater than that required for normal function that is characterised by the accumulation of excessive fat
Pancreatic Islet Cell Cancer: A malignant carcinoma that is located in the islet cells of the pancreas
Pathological fracture: The occurrence of a fracture a bone of the body caused by a disease state
Pheochromocytoma: Pheochromocytoma is a neuroendocrine tumor of the medulla of the adrenal glands (originating in the chromaffin cells), or extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue that failed to involute after birth and secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines, usually epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Pituitary Cancer: Cancer of the pituitary gland.
Pituitary conditions: Any condition that affects the pituitary
Polycystic ovary syndrome: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects approximately 5% of all women.
Polyuria: Excessive urination during pregnancy.
Poor growth: Poor body growth or delayed physical development.
Poor healing: When a wound takes a prolonged time to heal
Primary Hyperaldosteronism: A condition characterised by the excessive production and release into the circulation of aldosterone
Prolactinoma: Benign cancer of the pituitary gland producing prolactin.
Proximal muscle weakness: Weakness of the proximal muscles
Renal Artery Stenosis: An abnormal narrowing of the renal artery which is the main artery the supplies the kidney.
Skin thinning: The thinning of the skin
Small Cell Lung Cancer: Small cell lung cancer is a cancer of the small cells which make up some of the lung tissue. It tends to be a more aggressive cancer than large cell lung cancer and can metastasize to other parts of the body. This type of cancer nearly always occurs in a people with a history of smoking.
Systemic disorders: Any condition that occurs in a system of the body
Thymoma: A condition which is characterized by s tumour derived from the epithelial cells of the thymus
Type 2 diabetes: Most common diabetes in adults, usually progressing slowly, mostly treated without insulin at diagnosis.
Weight Gain: An increase in weight for any reason.
Weight gain: An increase in weight for any reason.