What is Cushing's disease?

Tell The disease or cushing's syndrome it is generated when the body has high levels of a hormone called cortisul for a long time.

This disease sometimes occurs when oral corticosteroid drugs are used. It can also be generated when the body produces excess cortisol on its own.

The excess of cortisol can generate some distinctive symptoms of Cushing's disease such as the rounded face, pink gravidarum striae or a hump composed of fat between the shoulders.

This disease can also cause bone loss, very high blood pressure and sometimes type 2 diabetes.

Causes of Cushing's disease

This disease can be caused by external causes of the body, such as taking drugs such as corticosteroids in excessive doses in a given time.

This medication causes the same effect on the body, such as cortisol in the body.

This medication can be applied orally, are necessary to combat diseases such as asthma and lupus. But this type of medication, contain a greater amount of cortisol than the body needs daily, this generates side effects such as excess cortisol.

The disease also it can be caused by corticosteroids which are applicable by injections, these are medicines to treat joint pain, back pain, among others.

In some patients these medications can cause Cushing's disease, mainly if excessive doses are applied.

Another cause of Cushing's disease is the excessive production of cortisol from the body itself. This is caused by the excess production of the adrenal glands or the production of the hormone that is responsible for the regulation of cortisol called adrenocorticotropa.

Symptoms of Cushing's disease

The symptoms of this disease vary depending on cortisol levels, such as:

1. Large stretch marks on different parts of the body such as thighs, legs, abdomen, breasts and arms.

2. Formations of morenotes in the skin, due to its fragility.

3. Slow recovery from infections, cuts, insect bites. In addition to a powerful acne.

4. Weight gain and of fatty tissues that can be found in different parts of the body such as the middle part and the upper part of the back.

5. In women, body hair may be thicker and more abundant than normal.

6. Fertile decrease and erectile dysfunction.

7. Extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, anxiety and depression.

8. Menstrual cycles with irregularity.

Treatment for Cushing's disease

The reduction of the use of corticosteroids is one of the treatments to fight Cushing's disease, since when suspending this type of drugs they begin to generate few levels of cortisol, which would cause the body to resume a balanced production of cortisol.

Surgery is one of the treatments if it is a malignant tumor, the doctor can suggest that a complete surgical removal be performed.

Another treatment that is applied for Cushing's disease is radio therapy.

Is applies in cases where the surgery could not remove the tumor completely, so radiotherapy is done by hand with the operation.

This method can also be applied to patients who can not undergo surgery.

Tell Cushing's disease or syndrome is generated when the body has high levels of a hormone called cortisul for a long time. This disease sometimes occurs when oral corticosteroid drugs are used.

It can also be generated when the body produces excess cortisol on its own.

The drugs also play an exemplary role in treating this syndrome, they can be used after the surgery (if it does not work) or before, to experiment if they have results.

The drugs used to balance the production of cortisol are: mitotane, metyrapone, ketoconazole.