MEDizzy - A baby has hypertension as a result of partial

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Endocrine Disorders

A baby has hypertension as a result of partial 21-hydroxylase deficiency. The parents ask the nurse to clarify why the baby is being sent home on cortisone. Which is the nurse's best response about cortisone?

ExplanationCortisone suppresses the ACTH being secreted by the pituitary. Because very little, if any, cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands, the ACTH acts to increase cardiac activity and constrict the blood vessels, leading to hypertension.