HYDROCORTISONE, also cortisol, common names for 17-hydro y-corticosterone, the !rinci!

al hormone secreted "y the o#ter layer, or corte , of the adrenal $land % Hydrocortisone affects the meta"olism of car"ohydrate, !rotein, and fat& the mat#ration of 'hite "lood cells& the retention of salt and 'ater in the "ody& the acti(ity of the ner(o#s system& and the re$#lation of "lood !ress#re% Secretion of hydrocortisone from the adrenal corte is stim#lated "y the !it#itary hormone )CTH% *eca#se of their 'ides!read effects, hydrocortisone and related com!o#nds, called corticosteroids, or corticoids, are em!loyed for many medical !#r!oses% They are #sed to treat a deficiency of adrenal cortical hormones, a condition called con$enital adrenal hy!er!lasia, rhe#matoid disease that is not hel!ed "y milder dr#$s, and to co#nter se(ere non-infectio#s inflammations% Corticosteroids s#!!ress the imm#ne res!onse, so they are #sed to increase acce!tance of trans!lants + see TR)NS,-)NT)TION, .EDIC)-/% Other conditions for 'hich they are hel!f#l are asthma, colla$en diseases, and eye inflammations% *eca#se corticosteroids affect so many "ody !rocesses, they m#st "e #sed caref#lly% Corticosteroids dis!ose !ersons to infection and can lead to s'ellin$ of the face and lim"s, m#scle 'ea0ness, 'ei$ht $ain, hi$h "lood !ress#re, and dia"etes% )nother nat#rally occ#rrin$ corticosteroid hormone, called cortisone, 'as the first corticosteroid to "e isolated, in 1123% It 'as synthesi4ed in 1155 and s#"se6#ently "ecame a(aila"le for 'ides!read medical #se% Cortisone is ra!idly con(erted to hydrocortisone in the "ody% Synthetic corticosteroids 'ith more s!ecific acti(ity are no' !referred in many sit#ations%

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