Acute adrenal insufficiency
Etiology
Primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease)
- Autoimmune
- Surgical removal or trauma
- Infection, e.g., tuberculosis, histoplasmosis
- Adrenal hemorrhage
- Metastatic cancer
- Adrenoleukodystrophy
- Hemochromatosis or amyloidosis
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Secondary adrenal insufficiency
- Pituitary failure (atrophy, necrosis, tumor)
- Exogenous steroids
DDx
- Other types of shock, e.g., septic, cardiogenic, hypovolemic, anaphylactic
- Hyperkalemia due to other causes, e.g., renal failure, rhabdomyolysis
- Hyponatremia due to other causes, e.g., SIADH, cirrhosis, vomiting
- Abdominal pain due to other causes
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