Clinical Chemistry Blog Notes 26

1._____________It is also called stress hormone.

2._____________Cortisol is secreted by this gland.

3._____________Give one condition associated with a increase cortisol level.

4-5. Normal cortisol level is __________ in the morning and ___________ at night.

6-8. Give three functions of cortisol.

9-10. Give two possible conditions that may lead to low cortisol level.

Case:
A 30 yr old large rounded face, overweight female working in a call center had recently depressions. She's complaining of having headache, mental changes, purple mark on the skin of abdomen and backache. She was rush at the hospital after getting his medical record the doctor request for a cortisol test .

11-15. What cortisol test does the physician probably requested: blood, urine, or salivary cortisol tets? explain:

16-20. What is the possible condition the patient have? explain:

Cortisol is the hormone for which we could attribute a person’s level of stress and anxiety. It is a hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex (which is a part of the adrenal gland). At normal rate, cortisol contributes to the metabolic rate of an individual and is also said to mobilize the function of the immune system.

image reference:

http://www.cortisolcure.com/cortisol.gif

Functions of Cartisol:

Cortisol’s primary functions include mobilization and energy regulation. It provides protein for energy production and regulates body fats. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory
mechanism that allows the body to combat and keep up with stress. Other function includes:

• increase the functionality of the thyroid
• insulin production for blood pressure regulation
• proper glucose metabolism

Test

A cortisol test is done to find problems of the pituitary gland or adrenal glands. Normal production of cortisol in humans is 15 - 20 mg per day. Cortisol levels get higher when the pituitary gland releases another hormone called adrenocorticotropic hormone. If this would be prolonged, several problems might occur such as:

• impaired cognitive performance
• blood sugar imbalance
• high blood pressure
• low inflammatory response of the body

On the other hand, low production of cortisol may result to:

• Addison's disease
• Internal bleeding

And high production of cortisol level may result to:

• pregnancy
• hyperthyroidism
• Cushing's syndrome

Therefore, it is significant to know your cortisol level.

References:

http://unasked.com/question/view/id/2817

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cortisol/test.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocortisone

http://www.virginiahopkinstestkits.com/cortisolzava.html

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm