Advances in Hormone Replacement Therapy for Adult Adrenal Insufficiency

Abstract

Adrenal insufficiency is a disease characterized by insufficient secretion of adrenocortical hormones, usually treated with glucocorticoid replacement therapy. The routine drugs have two forms-short-acting and long-acting. The shorter one should be taken 2-3 times a day resulting hormone level of patients fluctuating greatly within a day. Although long-acting drugs reduce the frequency of administration, it is easy to lead to excessive replacement, resulting in adverse effects on metabolism. New alternative treatments for adult patients have emerged, including modified-release hydrocortisone and hydrocortisone subcutaneous infusion pumps. In this review, we briefly introduce these new therapies, emphasizing the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the replacement, the effects on metabolism and drug safety, aiming at contributing to the future clinical practice.

Keywords

• adrenal insufficiency
• adult
• glucocorticoid
• modified-release hydrocortisone
• subcutaneous infusion pump