What is it?

Identified in 1855 by Thomas Addison, a doctor at Guy’s hospital in London, Addison’s disease is a disorder of the adrenal glands at the top of the kidneys. It affects one in 40,000 people in the UK. The glands help combat infection, control blood pressure and regulate the body’s salt and water balance. They do this by producing hormones; Addison’s disease is a disruption of that hormonal production, causing chemical imbalances.

What causes it?

More than two out of three cases are attributable to an autoimmune problem, in which the body’s defence system mistakenly attacks the adrenal glands. The remaining cases are usually due to an infection such as TB or HIV, or a tumour.

What are the symptoms?

These include tiredness, low blood pressure, a need to pass urine frequently and a brownish tint to the skin that, in Caucasians, can look like a healthy tan. Because the condition has symptoms in common with flu and diabetes, a diagnosis can be delayed or missed altogether. Blood tests will settle the matter. There is no cure, but symptoms can be relieved by a life-long course of steroid replacement tablets. For more information visit www.addisons.org.uk.

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