Key result
Corticosteroid replacement rapidly reverses cardiomyopathy caused by adrenal insufficiency.
Why the study?
Adrenal insufficiency can result in uncommon but life-threatening complications such as dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure, motivating a comprehensive review of cardiomyopathy secondary to adrenal insufficiency.
Does adrenal replacement therapy improve heart function in patients with cardiomyopathy secondary to adrenal insufficiency?
Does adrenal replacement therapy improve heart function in patients with cardiomyopathy secondary to adrenal insufficiency?
Recognizing adrenal insufficiency as an underlying cause of new-onset cardiomyopathy is critical because the condition is highly reversible with timely corticosteroid replacement therapy.
May warrant adrenal insufficiency evaluation in unexplained cardiomyopathy; leaves open need for prospective trials to guide practice.
Background and Aim: Adrenal insufficiency (AI), the lack of glucocorticoids (GCs) production or function with or without a lack of mineralocorticoids (MCs) and adrenal androgens, can result in uncommon but life-threatening complications like shock, circulatory failure, syncope, arrhythmias, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and congestive heart failure (CHF). In this article, we aim to comprehensively review the cardiomyopathy (CMP) secondary to AI. Methods: This review focused on CMP secondary to AI. A systematic search was conducted in Pubmed, GoogleScholar, and Embase. The relevant articles were included in this review. Results: All three kinds of AI-primary, secondary, and tertiary-have been associated with CMP. AI can cause takotsubo CMP, lethal arrhythmias, and DCM. There have been reports of CMP in all three kinds of AI: primary, secondary, and tertiary. AI can manifest as newly developed systolic HF and contribute to cardiovascular disease. When adrenal replacement therapy is started in patients with adrenal failure, heart function improves quickly. Early detection could stop this phenomenon from happening again. Conclusion: Herein, we provided an overview of AI-associated CMP regarding underlying causes, pathophysiology, associated symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of AI-associated CMP. Adrenal replacement therapy can quickly improve heart function. More research is needed to explore the effects of GCs and MCs on the heart and to better understand associated conditions.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Bazgir et al. (2025) conducted a review in Adrenal insufficiency-associated cardiomyopathy (n=23). Adrenal replacement therapy was evaluated. Adrenal insufficiency can cause reversible cardiomyopathies that improve rapidly following glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapy.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: