shock (in severe cases). Adrenal crisis may occur if a person having adrenal insufficiency experiences stresses, such as an accident, injury, surgery, or severe infection; this is a life-threatening medical condition resulting from severe deficiency of cortisol in the body. Death may quickly follow.

Adrenal insufficiency can be caused by dysfunction of the adrenal gland itself, whether by destruction (e.g., Addison's disease), failure of development (e.g.,