Under dehydrated conditions, the cells may lose up to 28% or more of their water volume. This certainly undermines all cellular activities, whether they occur in skin cells, stomach cells, liver cells, kidney cells or heart cells.
In Addison's disease, the adrenal glands don't make enough of a hormone called cortisol, or less often, a related hormone called aldosterone. That's why doctors sometimes call the illness ''chronic adrenal insufficiency,'' or hypocortisolism.
Addisonâs disease can present as an acute illness or come on gradually. A rare complication of Addisonâs disease is adrenal crisis, which presents as shock, or very low blood pressure. The risk increases if you are have an infection or a major physical stress. With chronic Addisonâs, the symptoms are vague and non-specific, and Addison's disease can be difficult to diagnose. Often, it's first detected through routine blood tests in a hospital or doctor's office to check for sodium, potassium and white blood cell levels.