corticosteroid

It may be of benefit in patients unable to mount a healthy stress response (adrenocorticoid insufficiency) due to chronic stress (Braun 2007).

Acute and chronic alcohol exposure enhances levels of cortisol (the major adrenocorticoid hormone in humans), at least in part by increasing secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone from the pituitary gland (Gianoulakis 1998; Rivier 1996).

Of primary importance is the release of adrenocorticoid steroids from the adrenal cortex into the bloodstream.

In a recent study of 62 consecutive, acutely ill patients needing mechanical ventilation for more than 24 hours, 27 of the 62 (43.5%) patients failed to respond to a HDSST On multivariate analysis, only etomidate administration was related to relative adrenocorticoid deficiency (OR 12.21; 95% CI 2.99-49.74) (13)

Hypercortisolism: The presence of excessive levels of cortisol in the body caused mainly by abnormally high levels of adrenocorticoid hormone from the pituitary gland (e.g., because of a pituitary tumor); characterized by rapid weight gain and obesity, round face, excessive sweating, thinning of the skin that results in easy bruising, elevated blood pressure, and other signs and symptoms; also known as Cushing's Syndrome.