Jen-
According to Taber’s (Medical Dictonary) these are the definitions of Addison and CAH.
Addison’s disease ()
[Thomas Addison, Brit. physician, 1793–1860] A rare illness marked by gradual and progressive failure of the adrenal glands and insufficient production of steroid hormones. Patients with Addison’s disease make inadequate amounts of both glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids.
ETIOLOGY: Adrenal failure typically results from autoimmune destruction of the adrenal glands, chronic infections (e.g., tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus, or histoplasmosis), or cancers that metastasize to the adrenal glands from other organs (e.g., the lungs or breast).
adrenal hyperplasia, congenital (CAH) An inherited disorder marked by congenital deficiency or absence of one or more enzymes essential to the production of adrenal cortical hormones. CAH is one of the adrenogenital syndromes. It is transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait, most often in Ashkenazi Jews and Mediterranean peoples. The enzyme involved most commonly is 21-hydroxylase (21-OHD). The inability to synthesize mineralocorticoids or glucocorticoids results in an overproduction of adrenal androgens. A severe deficiency or absence of 21-OHD also affects aldosterone synthesis. Symptoms of CAH include ambiguous genitalia or pseudohermaphroditism in infant girls. In other forms of CAH, decreased secretion of corticosterones and increased production of ACTH may cause a variety of clinical changes. Newborns who have salt-losing CAH develop vomiting, fluid and electrolyte imbalances (hyponatremia, hypokalemia), and hypotension within 2 weeks of birth. Treatment consists of hormonal therapy and surgery to correct genital abnormalities.
According to of my readings they are treated the same and the symtoms are the same. One is genetic (CAH, we all know about this one) and the other is what I call, where and tear on the Adrenal Glands. Addison’s can also be autoimmune disease, where the body starts fight itself.
If you have ever heard of an addisonian crisis it can used interchagable with Adrenal Crisis. Both thing mean the same thing, acute adrenal insufficiency.
Yes, President Kennedy did have Addison disease.