What Causes Cushing’s Syndrome?
Generally, there are two categories of what causes Cushing’s syndrome: exogenous (outside your body) and endogenous (inside your body).
Exogenous Cushing’s syndrome occurs when you take steroid medications called glucocorticoids, which healthcare providers often prescribe to help reduce inflammation.
Any form of glucocorticoid drug, whether it’s an injection, topical cream, or pill, may lead to Cushing’s syndrome over time, especially if the doses are large enough.
On the other hand, endogenous Cushing’s syndrome may occur when something causes your body to make too much cortisol on its own. Normally, your pituitary gland at the base of your brain releases a hormone called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). That prompts your adrenal glands, located on top of your kidneys, to produce cortisol.
However, a tumor on your pituitary gland can produce too much ACTH, which may lead to Cushing’s syndrome. Similarly, a tumor on the adrenal gland can directly lead too much cortisol production, thereby causing Cushing’s syndrome. In rare cases, other neuroendocrine tumors located in organs that don’t normally produce ACTH (such as the lungs or pancreas) may secrete ACTH and cause Cushing’s syndrome.
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