Addisonian Crisis
Addisonian crisis remains a significantly underestimated and underrecognized medical emergency, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Addison’s disease is a form of primary adrenal insufficiency, most commonly of autoimmune etiology. Typical clinical features include fatigue, generalized weakness, reduced physical performance, and cutaneous hyperpigmentation. Adrenal insufficiency (AI) can cause severe, life-threatening encephalopathy , often presenting as acute altered mental status, confusion, seizures, coma, or psychosis due to severe cortisol deficiency. It mimics infectious or autoimmune encephalitis, characterized by hypotension, profound hyponatremia (low sodium), and hypoglycemia. ICD-10 Code Description E27.1 Primary adrenal insufficiency E27.2 Addisonian crisis An Addisonian crisis represents a life-threatening endocrine emergency resulting from acute cortisol deficiency. Immediate treatment is...