Continuous subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion for Addison's disease
Addison鈥檚 disease or adrenal insufficiency can have an impact on your health and well-being. However, with the right balance of medication, you can control your Addison鈥檚 or adrenal insufficiency instead of it controlling you. AOA体育平台 offers the very latest technology and care by world-leading endocrinologists to ensure you stay well and live an active and productive life.
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What is it for?
For patients affected by Addison's disease
Treatment overview
Addison鈥檚 disease or adrenal insufficiency can have an impact on your health and well-being. However, with the right balance of medication, you can control your Addison鈥檚 or adrenal insufficiency instead of it controlling you. AOA体育平台 offers the very latest technology and care by world-leading endocrinologists to ensure you stay well and live an active and productive life.
AOA体育平台 is the only private hospital in the UK to introduce innovative subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion pumps for patients affected by Addison's disease or adrenal insufficiency.
Insulin pumps have revolutionised diabetes care, and AOA体育平台 offers a similar system for people living with Addison's disease or adrenal insufficiency. Research indicates that using a high-tech pump to infuse hydrocortisone around the clock could more closely replicate your body鈥檚 natural cortisol release and improve your quality of life.
The expert endocrinology team can provide the very latest pumps, a tailored training programme, and the support you need to get your Addison鈥檚 disease or adrenal insufficiency under control.
The expert endocrinology team can provide the very latest pumps, a tailored training programme, and the support you need to get your Addison鈥檚 disease or adrenal insufficiency under control.
Why choose AOA体育平台
Excellence in one place
AOA体育平台, in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, operate as teams of experts with world-class resources, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care. Supported by the latest treatments, expert guidance, and a comfortable recovery environment in our patient rooms, you'll have everything you need to regain your best health.
Personal care, every time
Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. We鈥檒l be with you every step of the way, tailoring your care to your specific needs, including healthy and delicious meals designed to support your recovery. We keep our staff-to-patient ratio low, so our nurses, clinicians, therapists, and support teams can offer a personalised, quality experience.
Effortlessly simple
We work together as one to guide you through every step of your patient experience. From explaining your personal treatment plan to ensuring all details are taken care of, we make the process stress-free, so you can focus on your health. Whether it鈥檚 your first consultation or follow-up care, our teams are here to provide seamless support and the peace of mind you deserve.
What's included in your package?
Choosing AOA体育平台 means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- Enhanced pre-admission assessment
- Your treatment with our complete care team at your fingertips
- Personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That鈥檚 why we also offer optional services such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us. To help you manage the cost, we also offer a 0% finance option, allowing you to spread the payments for your treatment over 12 months with no added interest. Learn more about our .
How to pay
- You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally
- You can pay for yourself (self-pay)
- If you鈥檙e paying for yourself, we have 0% finance options available with Chrysalis. Find out more .
FAQs
Addison's disease is a rare condition that affects around 1 in 10,000 people. The adrenal glands stop working so that the body doesn't have some of the essential steroid hormones it needs to function. For this reason, it is also known as primary adrenal insufficiency.
Adrenal insufficiency can also cause by the lack of descending hormone ACTH from the pituitary gland. ACTH stimulate adrenal gland to produce hydrocortisone.
If there is a lack of ACTH this could leads to the lack of cortisol production from the adrenal glands. In patients with chronic use of steroids, ACTH production is reduced and patients can also present with adrenal insufficiency
Adrenal glands are located near the kidneys. They produce aldosterone, which plays an essential role in the regulation of the body's sodium levels, fluid balance and blood pressure, and DHEA, which has an impact on sex hormones.
They also release the crucial hormone cortisol, which has a vital physiological role. Cortisol provides the body with the energy it needs to respond to illness, infection, or attack and also acts as an inflammatory, easing irritation and pain.
The body can鈥檛 live and function without these essential hormones. However, regular steroid medication can replace the missing chemicals and maintain your health and wellbeing.
Hydrocortisone medication is usually given as a substitute for the missing cortisol. It is traditionally taken as a tablet two or three times a day. The drug replaces the missing hormone but doesn't mimic the body's inherent pattern of production.
The body naturally releases cortisol into the bloodstream in a rhythm. It鈥檚 linked to our sleep cycle, peaking in the early morning to wake us up and boost our energy, then gradually falling to a trough in the early hours of the morning, when we should be sleeping soundly.
Innovative medications can more closely copy these natural cycles or 鈥榗ircadian鈥� rhythms. Modified-release tablets are available to achieve more sustained levels; however, continuous subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion or CSHI treatment is safe and effective.
It provides more physiological steroid hormone levels and also boosts your vitality.
Continuous subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion attempts to replicate your body鈥檚 natural rhythm of hormone release. It can help people who are struggling to control their Addison鈥檚 disease or adrenal insufficiency especially in those with repeated Addison鈥檚 crises, and people who feel that their symptoms are affecting their quality of life.
AOA体育平台's expert endocrinologists will carefully assess your health and the way your Addison's disease or adrenal insufficiency affecting your wellbeing.
The team will arrange all necessary investigations so that they can tailor a treatment plan to help you control your condition.
A hydrocortisone pump is a battery-powered device that delivers small amounts of medication into your subcutaneous tissue twenty-four hours a day. It's attached to the body by a cannula, a fine tube that's inserted under the skin. The pump is light and unobtrusive, it can be popped in a pocket, or on a belt or bum-bag.
The pump delivers a steady stream of hydrocortisone to match your individual needs. You can add more at times of stress or illness.
AOA体育平台 has a comprehensive range of the latest pumps. The multidisciplinary team will provide an individual training plan so that you are confident using the pump and adjusting your dosage when needed.
Trials show that this way of treating Addison鈥檚 disease or adrenal insufficiency is effective and can improve the quality of life for people living with the condition.