Preventing adrenal insufficiency during surgery.

Primary adrenal insufficiency is characterized by cortisol and aldosterone deficiency; in the secondary form, cortisol alone is decreased. The symptoms are usually nonspecific and include hypotension, weight loss, and fatigue; volume depletion, hyperkalemia, and hyperpigmentation may be present in the primary form but are uncommon in the secondary form. The most common cause of secondary adrenal insufficiency is steroid therapy, which produces adrenal suppression in relation to the dose and duration of use. Sudden withdrawal may precipitate adrenal crisis; therapy must be continued until adrenocortical function recovers. Because cortisol deficiency increases vulnerability to stress, patients with known or suspected adrenal insufficiency require glucocorticoid prophylaxis before any surgical procedure, major or minor. Hydrocortisone, not cortisone acetate, should be used.