What is Cushing's syndrome?

In daily life, there are many complicated diseases. Because the cause of the disease cannot be found, many people's lives will be threatened inexplicably, and they may even become seriously ill. For physical symptoms, we need to find the cause. Cushing's syndrome is a secretory disease. It occurred very seriously many years ago. It can cause patients to have high blood pressure, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems, and adrenal problems, and may even involve multiple complications. In addition, it is not ruled out that it is related to some physical diseases. Therefore, we must find the classification of the disease, the appropriate examination method, and timely diagnosis in normal times.

Cushing syndrome

It is a group of clinical syndromes caused by excessive secretion of cortisol due to various reasons.

This disease is a serious disease discovered by Cushing in 1921. 40% of this group of patients died from cardiovascular complications, and the mortality rate was relatively high. 80% of patients with Cushing's syndrome have hypertension, which is a major risk factor for premature development of cardiovascular disease.

According to the different pathological changes, it can be divided into the following categories:

(1) Cushing's disease: also known as hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction-induced cortisolism. This type is the most common, accounting for about 70% of Cushing's syndrome according to reports in China and abroad. This disease is caused by excessive secretion of the pituitary cortex, leading to bilateral adrenal cortical hyperplasia, resulting in chronic cortisol hyperplasia. The cause is not completely clear.

(2) Primary adrenal tumors: including adenomas and adenocarcinomas, both of which lead to excessive secretion of ectopic ACTH.

(3) Primary adrenal hyperplasia: This condition is similar to primary adrenal tumors, but the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone in the body does not increase. Together with primary adrenal tumors, it accounts for 15% of the incidence of Cushing's syndrome. It is caused by excessive secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACT) caused by pituitary and ectopic tumors, leading to bilateral adrenal hyperplasia.

(4) Ectopic cortisol-secreting tumor: The tumor causes excessive secretion of cortisol, accounting for about 15% of the cases of Cushing's syndrome. However, the primary site of the tumor is not in the pituitary gland, and the source of cortisol is not the pituitary gland, but may be derived from the hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor. Therefore, the occurrence of hypertension in this disease is related to excessive secretion of corticosteroids.

(5) Long-term use of large doses of glucocorticoids: This type of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome is usually temporary, and the symptoms will improve after stopping the medication.