Cushing's Disease

Cushing’s disease is the term commonly used to identify a condition that results from the over-production of cortisol by the adrenal glands, two small glands located near the kidneys. Cortisol, a hormone that is important for regulating the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, is produced by specialized cells comprising the outer or cortical portion of the adrenal glands. As a result, this condition also is called hypercortisolism (hyper = excessive, cortisolism = involving cortisol) or hyperadrenocorticism (hyper = excessive, adrenocorticism = involving the adrenal cortex). The term ‘Cushing’s Disease’ often is used to describe this condition, which is named in honor of Harvey Cushing, an American neurosurgeon who first described the clinical syndrome in people in 1932. In his original publication, the underlying problem was a tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain that affected the adrenal glands and caused a variety of clinical signs and symptoms including high blood pressure, weight gain, fatigue, impaired immune function, and excessive deposition of fat on the sides of the face.