title: [Spontaneous adrenal hemorrhage. Apropos of a case].
abstract: Spontaneous adrenal haemorrhages are rare but non exceptional. They mainly occur in elderly men (mean age: 61 years). The main risk factors are: anticoagulant therapy (prescribed for myocardial infarction, occlusive vascular ou thromboembolic disease), hypertension and chronic respiratory insufficiency, as in the present case. The clinical picture is one of abdominal of lumbar pain with abdominal distension, circulatory collapse, often delayed and sometimes preceeded by an hypertensive bout, quite often fever with leucocytosis. Hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia, are not constant features. The diagnosis is often not made until laparotomy, and it even can be missed there. In fact, plasma cortisol level or, if unavailable, urinary corticosteroid measurements are the best diagnostic procedures, permitting adequate therapy and giving best chances of survival. They must always be made in a patient with abdominal signs falling into one of the above mentioned etiologic categories.
mesh_terms: D000303:Adrenal Cortex Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D000307:Adrenal Gland Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000150:complications; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
vernacular_title: Hémorragie surrénale spontanée. A propos d'un cas