What is the difference between Cushing’s Syndrome and Cushing’s Disease?
Any condition that causes the adrenal gland to produce excessive cortisol results in the disorder Cushing’s syndrome. Cushing’s syndrome is characterized by facial and torso obesity, high blood pressure, stretch marks on the belly, weakness, osteoporosis, and facial hair growth in females. Cushing’s syndrome has many possible causes including tumors within the adrenal gland, adrenal gland stimulating hormone (ACTH) produced from cancer such as lung cancer, and ACTH excessively produced from a pituitary tumors within the brain. ACTH is normally produced by the pituitary gland (located in the center of the brain) to stimulate the adrenal glands’ natural production of cortisol, especially in times of stress. When a pituitary tumor secretes excessive ACTH, the disorder resulting from this specific form of Cushing’s syndrome is referred to as Cushing’s Disease. As an aside, it should be noted that doctors will sometimes describe certain patients with features identical to Cushing’s syndrome
Cushing’s Syndrome is a disease caused by an excess of cortisol production or by excessive use of cortisol or other similar steroid (glucocorticoid) hormones. Cortisol is a normal hormone produced in the outer portion, or cortex, of the adrenal glands, located above each kidney. The normal function of cortisol is to help the body respond to stress and change. It mobilizes nutrients, modifies the body’s response to inflammation, stimulates the liver to raise the blood sugar, and it helps control the amount of water in the body. Another adrenal cortex hormone, aldosterone, regulates salt and water levels which affects blood volume and blood pressure. Small amounts of androgens (male hormones) are also normally produced in the adrenal cortex. Cortisol production is regulated by adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), made in the pituitary gland, which is located just below the brain. When too much cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands, or an excess is taken in treating other diseases, s
