Adrenal crisis (also known as
Addisonian crisis and
acute adrenal insufficiency) is a medical emergency and potentially life-threatening situation requiring immediate emergency treatment. It is a constellation of symptoms that indicate severe adrenal insufficiency caused by insufficient levels of the
hormone cortisol. This may be the result of either previously undiagnosed or untreated
Addison's disease, a disease process suddenly affecting adrenal function (such as bleeding from the adrenal glands in
Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome), suddenly stopping intake of glucocorticoids, or an intercurrent problem (e.g. infection, trauma, in fact any form of physical or mental stress) in someone known to have Addison's disease or
congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).