Addison’s Disease/Adrenal Insufficiency: The Human Perspective

Presentation Description / Summary: Addison’s disease was described in people approximately 100 years prior to the first published case of naturally occurring Addison’s disease in dogs. Knowledge of diagnostic criteria and treatment in people has been used to inform our treatment of dogs from the beginning. However, there are still significant differences between how the species are diagnosed and treated. During this talk, a specific case of adrenal insufficiency in a person will be used to elucidate the differences and identify potential areas of additional research in dogs.

Learner Outcomes: 1. Identify differences in diagnostic criteria in people versus dogs, particularly the ACTH stimulation test. 2. Identify differences in treatment of people versus dogs, specifically glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid therapy. 3. Recognize how these differences highlight areas in which veterinary medicine performs better than human medicine, and areas in which improvement is needed.