Primary Adrenal Insufficiency

**Semantic type:** Disease or Syndrome

**Definition:** A hormonal disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands fail to release adequate amounts of glucocorticoids (cortisol), mineralocorticoids (aldosterone, 11-deoxycorticosterone), and androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone) to meet physiologic needs, despite release of ACTH from the pituitary.