Cushing's Disease

Book excerpt: Cushing's Disease: An Often Misdiagnosed and Not So Rare Disorder reviews the epidemiology of Cushing's, including statistics on the incidence and prevalence of this disease. There are discussions of the signs and symptoms and the most common co-morbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, amenorrhea, and infertility. Surgical, medical, and radiotherapeutic treatments, including indications, results, risks, and complications, are reviewed. Also featured is a chapter on the patient's perspective, coping with Cushing's, quality of life, and psychosomatic issues. This book is essential reading for the wide range of physicians who treat patients with Cushing's disease symptoms, as well as biomedical researchers who investigate the etiology and mechanisms of rare genetic diseases, in particular rare endocrine disorders. - Reviews the basics of Cushing's disease and its interrelation with hormones, the brain, and bodily functions - Includes chapters on diagnosis, surgical, medical, and radiotherapeutic treatments, and variations in presentation, including cyclical disease - Presents the cognitive and emotional aspects of Cushing's and the long-term sequelae - Offers an important resource for physicians who are accustomed to treating individual symptoms rather than a disease complex - Reviews multidisciplinary management, and post-treatment management of Cushing's, including recommendations for Cushing's Centers of Excellence