Hyposecretion of glucocorticoids and aldosterone due to failure of the adrenal cortex results in the condition called Addison"s disease (primary adrenocortical insufficiency).
Clinical symptoms include mental lethargy, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, weight loss and hypoglycemia, which leads to muscular weakness.
Loss of aldosterone leads to elevated K+ and decreased Na+ in the blood, low blood pressure, dehydration, decreased cardiac output, arrhythmias and potential cardiac arrest. Blood level of ACTH is high due to loss of negative feedback inhibition by cortisol.
At high concentration, ACTH mimics the skin darkening effects of MSH (melanocyte-stimulating hormone). The result is excessive skin pigmentation, especially in unexposed areas in mucous membranes.
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