Adrenal crisis, also called Addisonian crisis, develops when the levels of cortisol fall rapidly in your body. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which helps the body respond to stress effectively. Rapid decrease in cortisol in stressful situations results in the development of adrenal crisis. The situation can get life-threatening and may cause the patient to go into shock. At times, cortisol levels may be low because of damaged adrenal glands or infection in the adrenal glands and the disorder is known as adrenal insufficiency. You have a greater risk of developing adrenal crisis if you are suffering from adrenal insufficiency, undergoing a stressful situation or a trauma, not taking your medications for adrenal insufficiency, or experiencing dehydration. You can also develop this disorder during surgery.
