Addison's disease

noun

Pathology.

1. a disease characterized by asthenia, low blood pressure, and a brownish coloration of the skin, due to decreased secretion of cortisol from the adrenal cortex, resulting in hypoadrenalism.

Addison's disease

/ ˈædɪsənz /

noun

1. Also called: adrenal insufficiency. a disease characterized by deep bronzing of the skin, anaemia, and extreme weakness, caused by underactivity of the adrenal glands

Word History and Origins

Origin of Addison's disease¹

1855–60; named after T. Addison, who described it

Word History and Origins

Origin of Addison's disease¹

C19: named after Thomas Addison (1793–1860), British physician who identified it

Example Sentences

Adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison’s disease, was a fatal condition until hydrocortisone was invented in the 1930s.

From Slate

When I asked my support group what they wished people knew about cortisol, one woman said she wished people knew how similar Addison’s disease is to Type 1 diabetes, and that if she doesn’t take medication daily, she will die.

From Slate

"James Madison was epileptic. Franklin Roosevelt was paralyzed. John F. Kennedy had Addison's disease, ulcerative colitis and chronic pain. George Washington, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight Eisenhower and Thomas Jefferson were all known to have learning disabilities. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both had/have hearing impairments. And Joe Biden has a stutter, a disability that can affect his speech. I hope all of those examples can disabuse our nation of the idea that the presence of a disability alone can or should be disqualifying for a president."

From Salon

"I've now been on it for six years and have introduced a number of other people with Addison's disease to the pump, and all of them have said it's life changing. Some have gone from being seriously ill to feeling better than they have done for years."

From Science Daily

It can spot signs of conditions caused by dysfunctional levels of stress hormones, like diabetes and Addison's disease, said researchers.

From BBC