

Pituitary gland tumors may be microscopic or large. If the pituitary senses increased levels of cortisol, it will produce less ACTH, thereby reducing production of cortisol. As shown in the illustration below, as the pituitary gland produces more ACTH, it triggers the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol.

The tumor causes the pituitary gland to overproduce a hormone (ACTH) that stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. The tumor may be either benign (harmless) or malignant (cancerous). The most common cause of Cushing's disease (85% - 90% of all cases) is a tumor of the pituitary gland (which is located at the base of the brain). Talk with a few surgeons before you choose one to work with."Identifying the cause of Cushing’s disease is important because each type is treated differently and each has a different prognosis." It helps to choose a surgeon who has significant experience with surgery in the area around the kidneys and adrenal glands. It’s important to know that adrenal surgery is complex. It requires 5 to 7 days in the hospital and a 4-week recovery period. Open surgery, or traditional laparotomy, is more involved. Most people can return to normal activity after about 2 weeks. The hospital stay is 1 to 2 days if blood pressure is well controlled. Laparoscopy and robotic surgery are less invasive procedures. Other symptoms may also be controlled before the tumor is removed. The healthy part of the gland remains.īefore surgery, drugs are often given to block the effects of hormones and help blood pressure. For a smaller tumor, especially in hereditary cases, only the diseased part of the gland is removed. Most often, the whole adrenal gland is removed. The diseased adrenal gland could be removed with laparoscopic, robotic or open surgery. Once your blood pressure is stable, surgery may be used to treat the problem. Foods rich in tyramine (like beer, wine and cheese)Ĭontrolling high blood pressure with drugs is the first step.Some things that can cause high blood pressure in this condition are: They can be brought on by physical, emotional or drug related issues.

Women experience these spikes more often than men. They can happen several times a week, or only a few times a year. Sudden attacks often last less than 1 hour. Spikes in blood pressure should be discussed with your health care provider.
