Probably adrenal insufficiency
The morning cortisol is low and the ACTH is quite high
(results repeated below). These findings are consistent with
failure of the adrenal cortex to produce adequate cortisol, leading to decreased negative
feedback on the anterior pituitary and increased ACTH output.
Patient Reference
ACTH (P) 100 pg/ml 10 - 50
Cortisol 0800 hr (S) 10 ug/dl 12 - 26
Aldosterone (P) 7 ng/dl 7 - 24
Note that aldosterone is borderline low in a setting where sodium is low and the
patient is showing signs of hypovolemia (i.e., orthostatic hypotension). This is distinctly
abnormal (aldosterone should be high under these conditions) and this finding indicates
an inadequate response in multiple adrenal cortical pathways.
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