Endocrine Abstracts

Adrenal crisis (AC) is a life-threatening episode of adrenal insufficiency (AI) resulting from impairment of glucocorticoid secretion by the adrenal cortex. Approximately 1 in 200 patients die from AC annually.1 AC is often precipitated by intercurrent illness, injury or surgery and can be prevented by increasing oral corticosteroid doses (‘stress dosing’) during illness. Parenteral hydrocortisone may be necessary if oral therapy cannot be absorbed or inef...