Definition

A condition in which there is too much cortisol (a hormone made by the outer layer of the adrenal gland) in the body. Hypercortisolism may be caused by taking too many steroid drugs or by certain types of tumors. Tumors that make adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) cause the adrenal gland to make too much cortisol. Symptoms of hypercortisolism include a round face, thin arms and legs, severe fatigue and muscle weakness, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, purple or pink stretch marks on the skin, and weight gain, especially in the abdomen. Also called Cushing syndrome.