Blood clots, especially in the lungs and legs.Without treatment, hypercortisolism can cause health problems, including: Is Cushing syndrome fatal?Ĭushing syndrome can possibly be fatal if you don’t get treatment. Your healthcare provider will consult a specialist called an endocrinologist for evaluation and treatment. What healthcare providers treat Cushing syndrome? Out of all the people who have Cushing syndrome, Cushing disease accounts for more than 70% of cases in adults and about 60% to 70% of cases in children and adolescents. This increases cortisol secretion from the adrenal glands. A benign tumor located in the pituitary gland that secretes too much ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) causes Cushing disease. What’s the difference between Cushing syndrome and Cushing disease?Ĭushing disease is a type of Cushing syndrome. It affects 40 to 70 people out of 1 million each year. How common is Cushing syndrome?Ĭushing syndrome is rare. Some 70% of people with Cushing syndrome are women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB) and 30% are men or people assigned male at birth (AMAB). People who take cortisol medication (for example, to treat asthma and rheumatoid arthritis) are especially vulnerable.

The people most commonly affected by Cushing syndrome are children, teenagers and adults, mostly those ages 25 to 50. Exogenous (from outside sources): Cushing syndrome happens because of the side effects of certain medications taken to treat other conditions.Endogenous (from within the body): Cushing syndrome happens because of cortisol produced by your body.The adrenal glands (two small glands on top of your kidneys), pituitary gland (in your brain) and the hypothalamus (the part of your brain above the pituitary gland) control cortisol levels.Ī tumor typically causes the cortisol levels found in Cushing syndrome. Cortisol helps by:Ĭortisol also helps by temporarily shutting down systems that your body doesn’t need during times of increased stress, such as digestion and reproduction. You may see some people call this condition Cushing’s syndrome.Ĭortisol is a steroid hormone commonly called the “stress hormone.” Your body releases extra cortisol during times of stress. A syndrome is a medical term that refers to a group of signs and symptoms that happen together. Another word for Cushing syndrome is hypercortisolism. Cushing syndrome is an uncommon condition that happens when your body has too much of a hormone called cortisol.

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