Clinical Chemistry
- Hypercortisolism: Excessive levels of cortisol in the blood. (See Cushing's syndrome.)
- Hypocortisolism (adrenal insufficiency): Insufficient levels of cortisol in the blood.
The relationship between cortisol and ACTH, and some consequent conditions, are as follows:
| Plasma ACTH | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ | ↑ | ||
| Plasma Cortisol | ↑ | Primary hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome) | Secondary hypercortisolism (pituitary or ectopic tumor, Cushing's disease, pseudo-Cushing's syndrome) |
| ↓ | Secondary hypocortisolism (pituitary tumor, Sheehan's syndrome) | Primary hypocortisolism (Addison's disease, Nelson's syndrome) | |
A 2010 study has found that serum cortisol predicts increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
Read more about this topic: Cortisol
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“If thought makes free, so does the moral sentiment. The mixtures of spiritual chemistry refuse to be analyzed.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)