Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is a life threatening disease that has several underlying causes. In primary AI (PAI) the adrenal cortex itself is destroyed and the most common cause is autoimmune adrenalitis resulting in impaired synthesis and release of cortisol and aldosterone. A failure of the pituitary or hypothalamic control centers lead to secondary (SAI) and tertiary AI, respectively, manifested clinically as isolated cortisol insufficiency.
