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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause pituitary hormones control so many aspects of your metabolism, Sheehan's syndrome can cause a number of problems, including:
- Adrenal crisis, a serious condition in which your adrenal glands produce too little of the hormone cortisol
- Low blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Unintended weight loss
- Menstrual irregularities
Adrenal crisis: Life-threatening situation
The most serious complication is adrenal crisis, a sudden, life-threatening state that can lead to extremely low blood pressure, shock, coma and death.
Adrenal crisis usually occurs when your body is under marked stress — such as during surgery or a serious illness — and your adrenal glands produce too little cortisol, a powerful stress hormone.
Because of the potentially serious consequences of adrenal insufficiency, your doctor is likely to recommend that you wear a medical alert bracelet.
- Snyder PJ. Causes of hypopituitarism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
- Nieman LK. Clinical manifestations of adrenal insufficiency in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
- Montoro MN. Thyroid and other endocrine disorders during pregnancy. In: DeCherney AH, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment Obstetrics & Gynecology. 10th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2387051. Accessed Nov. 13, 2010.
- Generalized hypopituitarism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec12/ch151/ch151c.html. Accessed Nov. 16, 2010.
- Pituitary disorders overview. The Hormone Foundation. http://www.hormone.org/Pituitary/overview.cfm. Accessed Nov. 16, 2010.
- Snyder PJ. Treatment of hypopituitarism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 16, 2010.
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