Cushing syndrome

A condition in which there is too much cortisol (a hormone made by

the outer layer of the adrenal gland) in the body. Cushing syndrome
may be caused by taking too many steroid drugs or by certain types of
tumors.
• Iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (ICS) is usually related to prolonged
and/or high-dose oral or parenteral steroid use
• Cushing syndrome is caused by prolonged exposure to high circulating
levels of cortisol. The most common cause of cushingoid features is
iatrogenic corticosteroid use, while some herbal preparations can also
increase circulating corticosteroid levels leading to Cushing syndrome.
• Several features may be reversed with treatment. The possibility of
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression due to
prolonged use of GCs, resulting in adrenal insufficiency (AI) should be
considered.