A client is diagnosed with Addison's disease. Which clinical manifestations would you expect?

A client is diagnosed with Addison's disease. Which clinical manifestations would you expect?

• A. Moon face, buffalo hump, and hyperglycemia
• B. Hirsutism, fever, and irritability
• C. Bronze pigmentation, hypotension, and anorexia
• D. Tachycardia, bulging eyes, and goiter

Answer: (C)

Addison's disease is primary adrenal insufficiency, meaning the adrenal cortex isn’t producing enough cortisol and aldosterone. This leads to several hallmark effects: low cortisol contributes to fatigue, weight loss, and reduced appetite (anorexia), while low aldosterone causes salt wasting, dehydration, and low blood pressure (hypotension). The loss of cortisol and the rise in ACTH also drive increased skin pigment production, producing bronze or bronze-gray pigmentation of the skin. So, bronze pigmentation, hypotension, and anorexia fit perfectly with Addison's disease. The other symptom clusters point to different conditions: moon face, buffalo hump, and hyperglycemia are classic for Cushing's syndrome; hirsutism with fever and irritability isn't specific to Addison's; tachycardia with exophthalmos and goiter suggest hyperthyroid conditions like Graves disease.

Addison's disease is primary adrenal insufficiency, meaning the adrenal cortex isn’t producing enough cortisol and aldosterone. This leads to several hallmark effects: low cortisol contributes to fatigue, weight loss, and reduced appetite (anorexia), while low aldosterone causes salt wasting, dehydration, and low blood pressure (hypotension). The loss of cortisol and the rise in ACTH also drive increased skin pigment production, producing bronze or bronze-gray pigmentation of the skin.

So, bronze pigmentation, hypotension, and anorexia fit perfectly with Addison's disease. The other symptom clusters point to different conditions: moon face, buffalo hump, and hyperglycemia are classic for Cushing's syndrome; hirsutism with fever and irritability isn't specific to Addison's; tachycardia with exophthalmos and goiter suggest hyperthyroid conditions like Graves disease.