??Cushing's Syndrome/Disease??

Cushing’s Syndrome

Cushing's syndrome is a debilitating endocrine disorder characterized by excessive cortisol levels in the blood which may be the result of a tumor of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands (located above the kidneys) or from tumors or cancer arising elsewhere in the body (ectopic ACTH producing tumors). Cushings disease refers specifically to excessive ACTH secretion by a pituitary tumor (also called pituitary adenoma). The cause of Cushings Syndrome is a pituitary adenoma in over 70% of adults and in approximately 60-70% of children and adolescents. Most pituitary ACTH-secreting adenomas are small in size (microadenomas). Overall, Cushings Disease is relatively rare, affecting 10 to 15 of every million people each year, and most commonly affects adults aged 20 to 50 years. Women account for over 70% of cases.
Symptoms and signs of Cushings syndrome and disease include:


Symptoms of Cushing's
• Facial redness
• Rounding of the face (moon face)
• Unexplained weight gain around belly
• Buffalo hump, or hump on back of neck
• Pink or purple stretch marks
• Thicker or more visible body and facial hair
• Acne
• Muscle weakness
• Extreme fatigue
• Thin and fragile skin that bruises easily
• Depression, anxiety and irritability
• Slow healing of cuts, insect bites and infections
• Bone thinning
• Recurrent infections
• Sleep disturbances
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes mellitus
• Irregular or absent menstrual periods in females

Long-Term Complications of Cushing's
• Bone loss (osteoporosis)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Kidney stones
• Diabetes
• Unusual infections