Cushing's syndrome is a hormone disorder caused by high levels of
cortisol in the blood. This can be caused by taking
glucocorticoid drugs, or by tumors that produce cortisol or
adrenocorticotropic hormone (
ACTH) or CRH.
[1]Cushing's disease refers to one specific cause of the syndrome: a tumor (
adenoma) in the
pituitary gland that produces large amounts of
ACTH, which in turn elevates cortisol. It is the most common cause of Cushing's syndrome, responsible for 70% of cases excluding glucocorticoid related cases.
[2][3]
This pathology was described by
Harvey Cushing in 1932.
[4][5] The syndrome is also called
Itsenko-Cushing syndrome,
[6][7]hyperadrenocorticism or
hypercorticism.
Cushing's syndrome is not confined to humans and is also a relatively common condition in domestic
dogs and
horses. It also occurs in cats, but rarely.
It should not be confused with
Cushing's triad, a disease state resulting from increased intracranial pressure.
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