Addison's disease

noun

Ad·​di·​son's disease ˈa-də-sənz- 

: a destructive disease marked by deficient adrenocortical secretion and characterized by extreme weakness, loss of weight, low blood pressure, gastrointestinal disturbances, and brownish pigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes

Examples of Addison's disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Steroid use and misuse can cause fluctuations in hormones—for example, higher testosterone due to anabolic steroids or Addison's disease (when the adrenal glands don't produce enough hormones like cortisol and aldosterone) due to glucocorticoids (e.g., prednisone). —Wendy Wisner, Health, 12 Sep. 2024

Vitiligo is also sometimes associated with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, Addison's disease, pernicious anemia, alopecia areata, systemic lupus erythematosus, and celiac disease. —Emily Kirkpatrick, Peoplemag, 25 May 2023

The cub's father, Nam Pang, died of Addison's disease a month before the cub was born, The Guardian reported. —Giovana Gelhoren, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

after Thomas Addison †1860 English physician

First Known Use

circa 1856, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

Addison's disease

noun

: a rare disease marked by deficient secretion of adrenocortical hormones (such as cortisol) that is characterized by fatigue, muscle weakness, weight loss, low blood pressure, irritability or depression, and brownish pigmentation of the skin and is caused by progressive destruction of the adrenal glands (as by an autoimmune response or infection)