Adrenal Glands

Your adrenal, or suprarenal, glands are located on the top of each kidney. These glands produce hormones that you can't live without, including sex hormones and cortisol, which helps you respond to stress and has many other functions.

Cushing's Syndrome

Cushing's syndrome is caused by long-term exposure to too much cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal gland makes. Sometimes, taking synthetic hormone medicine to treat an inflammatory disease leads to Cushing's. Some kinds of tumors secrete a hormone that can cause your body to make too much cortisol. Sometimes a tumor in the adrenal gland itself produces too much cortisol. High levels of cortisol can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other problems.

Pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor that usually starts in the cells of one of your adrenal glands. Pheochromocytomas produce high levels of stress hormones, which can lead to severe high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and even death.

Aldosteronoma (Conn's Syndrome)

Hyperaldosteronism is a condition that occurs when your adrenals—two small glands located on top of each kidney—produce too much of the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone helps balance the levels of sodium (salt) and potassium in your body. Having too much aldosterone causes the body to hold on to sodium, resulting in water build-up and a rise in blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can put you at risk for stroke, heart attack, heart failure, or kidney failure.

Adrenocortical Carcinoma

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the outer layer of the adrenal gland.