Need help right now?
If someone needs immediate help with adrenal crisis, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person on long-term steroids or with known adrenal problems has sudden severe weakness, vomiting, low blood pressure, or confusion.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Call 112. Emergency steroid injection if they have one. Lay flat, legs up. Tell about steroids.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Severe fatigue, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Person on steroids for asthma, arthritis, or adrenal disease — especially if recently sick or missed doses.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — The adrenal glands cannot produce enough cortisol during stress, infection, or missed steroid doses.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Without cortisol, blood pressure drops and the body goes into shock.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112. Say suspected adrenal crisis on steroids.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Lay person flat. Raise legs 12 inches unless vomiting — then side position.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If they have an emergency hydrocortisone injection kit — help use it per their written plan.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Cover with blanket. Monitor breathing and responsiveness.
When and how to get professional help.
Any suspected adrenal crisis is an emergency — shock can progress rapidly.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Help with prescribed emergency injection if available. Call 112. Do not stop steroids suddenly on your own.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112. Report steroid-dependent patient, vomiting, and low blood pressure signs.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Bring steroid emergency kit and medication list to hospital.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT stop their regular steroids without medical advice.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT assume it is just a stomach bug — adrenal crisis mimics flu.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Missing a few steroid pills is never serious
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — People on long-term steroids can have adrenal crisis during illness or missed doses — it can be fatal.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Treating life-threatening adrenal crisis as a minor stomach illness.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Diabetic unconscious
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A known or suspected diabetic is unresponsive. Cause may be very low or very high blood sugar.
Electrolyte imbalance
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — After vomiting, diarrhea, heat, or certain medicines, a person has severe cramps, weakness, confusion, or heart palpitations.
Low blood sugar
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person with diabetes (or on certain medicines) is sweaty, shaky, confused, or irritable — signs of low blood sugar.
Severe dehydration
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person has not kept fluids down, has not urinated for many hours, and is weak, dizzy, or confused.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — IV hydrocortisone and fluids are required — this is not manageable at home once crisis starts.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Anyone on long-term steroids should carry an emergency card and injection if prescribed.