Publicatiedatum: 2023

Cushing’s syndrome is a rare disease which happens when your body has too much of the hormone cortisol over an extended period (chronic exposure). This can be caused by taking oral corticosteroid medication, or your body itself producing too much cortisol (excess production of cortisol by the adrenal glands).¹

Cushing’s syndrome is more common in women than men (by a ratio of 4:1) and patients are typically aged over 40 at the time of their diagnosis.²

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands (two small glands on top of your kidneys) and is sometimes called the “stress hormone” because it helps the body cope with stressors like illness or injury. Cortisol increases the body’s metabolism of fat and carbohydrates and breaks proteins. It also helps control blood pressure and reduce inflammation (anti-inflammatory role).^1,3

Source: The Cushing’s Collaborative Community