why does one develop hypokalemia in cushings disease?
95479
Hyperaldosteronemia= preferential conservation of Na, loss of K+, H+
545330
As others have suggested, this is often caused by low blood potassium levels, and can be 'cured' by increasing your potassium intake. BUT, it could also be a sign of low calcium, and either condition can be an indication of early kidney disease. See your doctor.\n\nAlso, if you are taking certain medications, they could be causing it as well. Prednisone, for example, is a common culprit of depleting calcium and potassium, and diuretics are bad for depleting potassium.
396243
it means you need more potassium.. and you are probably tired and or stressed.. not a bad omen.. I have it all the time.. Hope this helps.. :)
844970
Hyponatremia can be induced by water intoxication, but pathologically can be caused by excessive ADH (possibly caused by tumor, or genetic hyperactivity).  By excreting more water, you also excrete more sodium.  \n\nSodium is necessary for maintaining a dynamic equilibrium of the resting membrane potential (RMP) along with potassion and chloride.  Sodium has a net positive force on the RMP, and when the system is hyponatremic, the membrane potential becomes more negative, therefore hyperpolarized.
415922
No, its a bit simpler than that.  It has to do with loss of ATP production through aerobic resperation.  The brain, though only 3-4 pds, uses 20% of the total calories in the body, because of the massive requirement of neurons to maintain the ionic gradient, primarily through Na+/K+ ATPase, an energy-using enzyme.  This ion pump maintains the hyperpolarization required to keep the neuron from depolarizing until a specific signal, such as binding of neurotransmitter, opens the Na+ channels.  There is very little storage of glycogen or creatine in the brain, and thus there has to be a constant supply of blood glucose to maintain this.  A drop in glucose below a spcific concentration causes a dramatic decrease in production of ATP, thus the Na+/K+ ATPase cannot keep up with the ionic leakage of Na+ out of the cell and K+ into the cell.  The relative intraneuronal negativity is lost, and there is uncontrollable depolarization of neurons, as voltage-gated channels open.  Two things then happen- 1) This uncontrolled firing of the neuron is transmitted, via axons, to other neurons (themselves already partially depolarized because of lack of energy for Na+/K+ ATPase) and 2) the neurons that depolarize cannot hyperpolarize again because there isn't sufficient glucose to produce the ATP needed for the ion pumps.\nThe previous was only for hypoglycemia.  If your blood glucose in normal, i.e. you are not diabetic, then your blood glucose levels should *never* drop below a certain level-resting, or fasting, blood glucose is carefully maintained in a non-diabetic person.  A drop in blood glucose sufficent to effect the K+ channels would be significantly below normal, and indicate diabetes.  We do work on both diabetic neuropathy and stroke, and the interactions between them.  There are people here that do research on epileptic seizures, and I can ask about the theories on increased seizures in the morning, if you are interested.
334540
Are you Diabetic? Have you had a recent "Dipstick Urinalysis"? If so, than Diabetics often demonstrate elevated urinary Ketone levels prior to an elevation in serum levels. You can also have false-positive results in dehydration or in the presence of levodopa metabolites, mesna (sodium mercaptoethanesulfonate), and other sulfhydryl-containing compounds.  Why don't you consult your doctor and get the complete formula or visit the Medical library reference section.
641837
Hormone Control of Water and Salt \nWater reabsorption is controlled by the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in negative feedback. ADH is released from the pituitary gland in the brain. Dropping levels of fluid in the blood signal the hypothalamus to cause the pituitary to release ADH into the blood. ADH acts to increase water absorption in the kidneys. This puts more water back in the blood, increasing the concentration of the urine. When too much fluid is present in the blood, sensors in the heart signal the hypothalamus to cause a reduction of the amounts of ADH in the blood. This increases the amount of water absorbed by the kidneys, producing large quantities of a more dilute urine.\n\nAldosterone, a hormone secreted by the kidneys, regulates the transfer of sodium from the nephron to the blood. When sodium levels in the blood fall, aldosterone is released into the blood, causing more sodium to pass from the nephron to the blood. This causes water to flow into the blood by osmosis. Renin is released into the blood to control aldosterone.
976528
diabetes mellitus i and ii, hypoglycemia, hyper/hypo thyroidism, Thyroid cancer, hyper/hypo parathyroidism, Cushing's syndrom, Cushing's disease, Addison's disease, Acromegaly, Dwarfism, Diabetes insipidus, Dyslipidemia, Paget's disease of bone, Osteoporosis.
777381
Levels of potassium within the cells is much higher than the extra cellular tissues. A burn victim has a lot of tissue damage. When this tissue becomes damaged, the cells have been lysed and spill this additional potassium into the blood stream. The kidneys will pick up on this increase in extra cellular potassium (because that is what they are able to monitor) and will actively pump this potassium out of their body trying to bring them back to homeostasis. Hope this helps. Thanks.
805272
Yeah, you should see the rheumatologist.  The previous poster is right, the creatine kinase (CK or CPK) tends to go up when patients are on cholesterol medicines, or right after heavy exercise.  That being said, an elevation of CK in the setting of fatigue (like you're describing) makes me worry about myositis, usually an autoimmune problem.  see the rheumatologist (the autoimmune specialist), and they'll work it up further.  Like the prev poster said, it could be hypothyroidism, but I'd doubt it.  It's not malignant hyperthermia or neuroleptic malignant syndrome, I'll guarantee you that.
662932
causes:\nInadequate intake of water--typically in elderly or otherwise disabled patients who are unable to take in water as their thirst dictates \nii. Inappropriate excretion of water--often in the urine, which can be due to medications like diuretics or lithium or can be due to a medical condition called diabetes insipidus \niii. Intake of a hypertonic fluid (a fluid with a higher concentration of solutes than the remainder of the body). This is relatively uncommon, though can occur after a vigorous resuscitation where a patient receives a large volume of a concentrated sodium bicarbonate solution. \nso do the opposite to treat i guess...\nTreatment\nRapid correction should be avoided because of the brain's adaptive response to hypernatremia and the potential risk of cerebral edema. The current recommendation is to lower the serum sodium concentration by about 0.5 mEq/L per hour and to replace no more than half the water deficit in the first 24 hours. The following formula can be used to calculate the water deficit (total body water, in kilograms, is 60% of lean body mass in men and 50% in women): \n\nWater deficit = total body water (serum sodium concentration ÷ 140 - 1) \n\nIn patients with hypovolemic hypernatremia, normal saline solution is indicated initially to correct the intravascular volume deficit. When that is accomplished, more hypotonic fluids (eg, 50% normal saline) can be used. In patients with hypervolemic hypernatremia, removing the source of salt excess, administering diuretics, and replacing water are important to successful therapy. Patients with euvolemic hypernatremia usually require water replacement alone--either free water orally or an infusion of 5% dextrose in water.
1145463
I've heard it can sometimes be a potassium deficiency.  Eating more bananas would help with that.
401254
Aldosterone is secreted in response to low extracellular sodium and acts on the distal tubule to increase the reabsorption of sodium from the urinary filtrate. I'm not sure where on the distal tubule though, if that's what you're asking...
1002011
Cortisone or Corstisol is a natural occurring substance in the body it is produced by the supra-adrenal glands in response to anohter hormone (ACTH) which comes brom the pituitary gland in the brain. Cortisol increases in response to stress, like injurys, surgeries or it could be due to multiple diseases.\n\nIncrease of cortisol or exogenous Cortisone causes: Increase wight, water retention, "moon-like" face, increase in blood sugar, it can make you more prone to infections. The positive, or disired effectes are: disminution in pain, decrease of activity on reumathic or auto-inmune diseases.\n\nIf your doc ordered for a cortisol level is either because he's suspecting a diminished level (called Addison´s Syndrome) or an increased level (called Cushing's syndrome).\n\nI don't remember the normal values, but I hope this info helps.
985541
You needtopost more info.\n\nAtrophic pituitary gland can be congenital, from hemorrhagic shock,or from infarction.
634784
I know people with hypercortisolism have symptoms similar to those of excessive Aldosterone secretion. I would guess it's a mineralocorticoid, and promotes absorbtion of Na+ at the DCT/CT. Hope this helps.
988939
Addison's disease is an endocrine or hormonal disorder that occurs in all age groups and afflicts men and women equally. The disease is characterized by weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, low blood pressure, and sometimes darkening of the skin in both exposed and nonexposed parts of the body.\n\nAddison's disease occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of the hormone cortisol and, in some cases, the hormone aldosterone. The disease is also called adrenal insufficiency, or hypocortisolism.\n\nCortisol\n\nCortisol is normally produced by the adrenal glands, located just above the kidneys. It belongs to a class of hormones called glucocorticoids, which affect almost every organ and tissue in the body. Scientists think that cortisol has possibly hundreds of effects in the body. Cortisol's most important job is to help the body respond to stress. Among its other vital tasks, cortisol\n\nhelps maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function \nhelps slow the immune system's inflammatory response \nhelps balance the effects of insulin in breaking down sugar for energy \nhelps regulate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats \nhelps maintain proper arousal and sense of well-being \nBecause cortisol is so vital to health, the amount of cortisol produced by the adrenals is precisely balanced. Like many other hormones, cortisol is regulated by the brain's hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, a bean-sized organ at the base of the brain. First, the hypothalamus sends "releasing hormones" to the pituitary gland. The pituitary responds by secreting hormones that regulate growth and thyroid and adrenal function, and sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. One of the pituitary's main functions is to secrete ACTH (adrenocorticotropin), a hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands. When the adrenals receive the pituitary's signal in the form of ACTH, they respond by producing cortisol. Completing the cycle, cortisol then signals the pituitary to lower secretion of ACTH.\n\nAldosterone\n\nAldosterone belongs to a class of hormones called mineralocorticoids, also produced by the adrenal glands. It helps maintain blood pressure and water and salt balance in the body by helping the kidney retain sodium and excrete potassium. When aldosterone production falls too low, the kidneys are not able to regulate salt and water balance, causing blood volume and blood pressure to drop.\n\n[Top] \n\nCauses\n\nFailure to produce adequate levels of cortisol can occur for different reasons. The problem may be due to a disorder of the adrenal glands themselves (primary adrenal insufficiency) or to inadequate secretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland (secondary adrenal insufficiency).\n\nPrimary Adrenal Insufficiency\nAddison's disease affects about 1 in 100,000 people. Most cases are caused by the gradual destruction of the adrenal cortex, the outer layer of the adrenal glands, by the body's own immune system. About 70 percent of reported cases of Addison's disease are caused by autoimmune disorders, in which the immune system makes antibodies that attack the body's own tissues or organs and slowly destroy them. Adrenal insufficiency occurs when at least 90 percent of the adrenal cortex has been destroyed. As a result, often both glucocorticoid (cortisol) and mineralocorticoid (aldostertone) hormones are lacking. Sometimes only the adrenal gland is affected, as in idiopathic adrenal insufficiency; sometimes other glands also are affected, as in the polyendocrine deficiency syndrome.\n\nPolyendocrine Deficiency Syndrome\n\nThe polyendocrine deficiency syndrome is classified into two separate forms, referred to as type I and type II.\n\nType I occurs in children, and adrenal insufficiency may be accompanied by\n\nunderactive parathyroid glands \nslow sexual development \npernicious anemia \nchronic candida infections \nchronic active hepatitis \nhair loss (in very rare cases