Hydrocortisone awareness and education

Hydrocortisone is a steroid replacement hormone that medically replaces a naturally-produced essential hormone called cortisol. It is taken by many patients who have pituitary disease, as their condition causes them not to produce this naturally.

This vital hormone helps everyone to cope with stress and is required to be given in larger amounts if a pituitary patient were to become ill, suffer severe stress or have surgery. If a patient is admitted to Accident and Emergency and/or hospital for acute illness, the medical staff should be aware and administer an appropriate increased dose of hydrocortisone so that the patient isn’t compromised by a cortisol crisis (which, could lead to coma, or, in extreme cases, cardiac arrest and death).

We, the Pituitary Foundation, the voice of the pituitary population, consistently receive reports from patients and their families that A&E departments, hospitals, ambulance staff and sometimes GPs did not understand their vital need for hydrocortisone and did not administer it in appropriate doses.

It is our mission to raise further awareness and promote education so that our patients will not suffer further, and in the worst scenario become very ill and may die. It is essential that the medical community understand this crucial concern of pituitary patients and put in place protocols that will protect these patients and their families.

Our Pituitary Awareness Week will take place from 21st to 27th September 2008 with our focus being hydrocortisone.