If both adrenal glands are removed, you need to take medicine for the rest of your life to replace the hormones that the glands make. Nursing Times 117: 8, 54-58.Īuthors: Maria Andrade is honorary associate professor in biomedical science Zubeyde-Bayram Weston is senior lecturer in biomedical science John Knight is associate professor in biomedical science all at College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University. If one adrenal gland is removed because its making too much of certain hormones, you may need to take hormone replacement medicine until the other adrenal gland starts working correctly again. This article, the fourth in an eight-part series on the endocrine system, explores the anatomy and physiology of the adrenal glands, and describes how they regulate and coordinate vital physiological processes in the body through hormonal action.Ĭitation: Andrade M et al (2021) Endocrine system 4: adrenal glands. The endocrine system consists of glands and tissues that produce and secrete hormones to regulate and coordinate vital bodily functions. This article comes with a self-assessment enabling you to test your knowledge after reading it

Tertiary starts in the hypothalamus, which is a small area located near the pituitary. This article, the fourth in an eight-part series, looks at the adrenal glands. If your adrenal glands don’t get that message, they may eventually shrink.

The endocrine system comprises glands and tissues that produce hormones for regulating and coordinating vital bodily functions.

Adrenal gland