develops when the adrenal glands, which are above the kidneys,
are not able to make enough of the hormones cortisol and,
sometimes, aldosterone. Your body needs both of these hormones
to work as it should. Cortisol helps the body cope with extreme
physical stress from illness, injury, surgery, childbirth, or
other reasons. Aldosterone helps the body hold on to the salt it
needs, and it keeps your blood pressure steady. Normally, the
level of these hormones increases through a chain reaction.
First, the hypothalamus in the brain makes a hormone that the
pituitary gland needs to make another hormone called ACTH. ACTH
then tells the adrenal glands to make cortisol or aldosterone.
But with Addison’s disease, the adrenal glands can't make enough
of the hormones. If you have Addison's disease, you need to take
medicine for the rest of your life to replace the hormones your
body can’t make. If you don’t treat the disease, an adrenal
crisis may occur that can lead to death because of a steep drop
in blood pressure. P