Addison's Disease

A definitive diagnosis of Addison’s disease requires very specific blood tests which need to be done. However, as most cases of Addison’s disease are discovered when the patient is in a crises, treatment is usually implemented immediately to save the patient’s life. If and when the patient recovers, the physician will usually wait for 4-6 weeks for the patient to return to a baseline prior to conducting any diagnostic tests. Lab tests will evaluate the levels of cortisone, aldosterone, and ACTH (secreted from the pituitary gland, and regulates the hormones of the adrenal cortex).

Some of the tests used to diagnose Addison's disease include:

• Blood test
• ACTH stimulation test
• Insulin-induced hypoglycemia test
• Imaging tests