Adrenal crisis: Difference between revisions
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#***Hypotension | #***Hypotension | ||
#***[[Hyponatremia]] or [[hyperkalemia]] | #***[[Hyponatremia]] or [[hyperkalemia]] | ||
#*Comparable | #*Comparable steroid dosages | ||
#**Hydrocortisone (50-75 mg/m2 or 1-2 mg/kg) | #**Hydrocortisone (50-75 mg/m2 or 1-2 mg/kg) | ||
#**Methylprednisolone are 10-15 mg/m2 | #**Methylprednisolone are 10-15 mg/m2 | ||
| Line 78: | Line 78: | ||
#*Administered after steriod therapy in pts unresponsive to fluid resuscitation | #*Administered after steriod therapy in pts unresponsive to fluid resuscitation | ||
#Treat underlying cause | #Treat underlying cause | ||
===Stress-Dose Steroids in Illness=== | |||
*To aid in mounting stress response in those with adrenal insufficiency lacking endogenous cortisol | |||
*Minor illness, with fever < 38°C | |||
**Administer double the dose of chronic maintenance steroids | |||
*Severe illness, with fever > 38°C | |||
**Admin triple dose of chronic maintenance steroids | |||
*Vomiting, listless, or hypotensive | |||
**Administer hydrocortisone at 1-2 mg/kg as above in adrenal crisis | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
Revision as of 03:25, 3 April 2016
Background
- Consider in any pt w/ unexplained hypotension (esp if have HIV or take steroids)
- Main factor causing adrenal crisis is mineralocorticoid, not glucocorticoid, deficiency
- This is the reason crises occur much more frequently w/ primary adrenal insufficiency
- Major clinical problem is hypotension
- Most commonly presents as shock
Causes (Adrenal Insufficiency)
- Primary adrenal insufficiency (decreased cortisol and aldosterone)
- Autoimmune (70%)
- Adrenal hemorrhage
- Coagulation disorders
- Sepsis (Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome)
- Meds
- Infection (HIV, TB)
- TB is most common worldwide cause primary adrenal insuffiency
- Sarcoidosis/amyloidosis
- Mets
- CAH
- Secondary adrenal insufficiency (decreased ACTH -> decreased cortisol only)
- Withdrawal of steroid therapy
- Pituitary disease
- Head trauma
- Postpartum pituitary necrosis
- Infiltrative disorders of pituitary or hypothalamus
Precipitants
- Increased demand
- Infection
- MI
- Surgery
- Trauma
- Decreased supply
- Discontinuation of steriod therapy
Clinical Features
- Hypotension
- Refractory to fluids/presors
- Dehydration
- Abdominal tenderness
- Usually generalized
- Hyponatremia/hyperkalemia
- Hyperkalemia is not expected in Secondary Adrenal Insuffiency
- Hypoglycemia
- Confusion/delirium/lethargy
- Fever
- Usually caused by infection
Differential Diagnosis
Shock
- Cardiogenic
- Acute valvular Regurgitation/VSD
- CHF
- Dysrhythmia
- ACS
- Myocardial Contusion
- Myocarditis
- Drug toxicity (e.g. beta blocker, CCB, or bupropion OD)
- Obstructive
- Distributive
- Hypovolemic
- Severe dehydration
- Hemorrhagic shock (traumatic and non-traumatic)
Diagnosis
- CBC - eosinophilia[1]
- Chemistry
- Random cortisol, renin, and ACTH levels
- Do not wait for levels before starting treatment
- ACTH (cosyntropin) stimulation test
Treatment
- Begin treatment immediately in any suspected case (prognosis related to rapidity of treatment)
- IVF
- D5NS IV 2-3L (corrects fluid deficit and hypoglycemia)
- Steroids
- Hydrocortisone
- Drug of choice if K+>6 (provides glucocorticoid and mineralcorticoid effects)
- 2mg/kg up to 100mg IV bolus
- Dexamethasone
- 4mg IV bolus
- Consider in hemodynamically stable patients if ACTH stim test will be performed (won't interfere w/ the test)
- Along with methylprednisolone, dexamethasone has negligible mineralocorticoid effect, so choose hydrocortisone in[2]:
- Hypotension
- Hyponatremia or hyperkalemia
- Comparable steroid dosages
- Hydrocortisone (50-75 mg/m2 or 1-2 mg/kg)
- Methylprednisolone are 10-15 mg/m2
- Dexamethasone 1-1.5 mg/m2
- Hydrocortisone
- Vasopressors
- Administered after steriod therapy in pts unresponsive to fluid resuscitation
- Treat underlying cause
Stress-Dose Steroids in Illness
- To aid in mounting stress response in those with adrenal insufficiency lacking endogenous cortisol
- Minor illness, with fever < 38°C
- Administer double the dose of chronic maintenance steroids
- Severe illness, with fever > 38°C
- Admin triple dose of chronic maintenance steroids
- Vomiting, listless, or hypotensive
- Administer hydrocortisone at 1-2 mg/kg as above in adrenal crisis
See Also
References
- ACEP Critical Decisions in Emergency Medicine July 2012 issue
- ↑ Nutman TB. Evaluation and differential diagnosis of marked, persistent eosinophilia. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2007 Aug; 27(3): 529–549.
- ↑ Wilson TA et al. Adrenal Hypoplasia Medication. eMedicine. Feb 11, 2013. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/918967-medication.