[Replacement therapy of adrenal insufficiency].

The adrenal cortex produces three principal categories of steroid hormones that regulate a wide variety of physiologic process from fetal to adult. Three steroid hormones are glucocorticoids (principally cortisol), mineralocorticoids (principally aldosterone) and adrenal androgens. Glucocorticoids are named for their carbohydrate mobilizing activity but are ubiquitous physiologic regulators influencing a wide variety of bodily functions. In case of deficiency of endogenous adrenal cortex steroid hormones, glucocorticoid replacement therapy is employed. There are two pathologic forms in steroid hormones deficiency, one is "the primary" that is adrenal failure and the other is "the secondary" that is pituitary failure. Symptoms and treatments are different between the two forms and onset (acute or chronic).