Why am I having this test?
Cortisol is a hormone that plays an important role in many bodily functions. It helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar (glucose) levels, aids digestion, and triggers the “fight or flight” reaction that your body uses to respond to stressful situations.
You may have a cortisol test check for problems with the glands associated with cortisol production (pituitary gland and adrenal gland). This test may be done to help diagnose:
Hypopituitarism.
Acute adrenal crisis.
A tumor of the adrenal gland.
Cushing syndrome or disease.
Addison disease (adrenal insufficiency).
What is being tested?
This test measures the amount of cortisol in your body.
What kind of sample is taken?
This test may be done using a sample of …show more content…
If you will have a urine test, no specific preparation is needed.
Tell a health care provider about:
Any allergies you have.
All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
Any blood disorders you have.
Any surgeries you have had.
Any medical conditions you have.
Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
How are the results reported?
Your results will be reported as a value that tells you how much cortisol is in your body. This is given as micrograms of cortisol per deciliter of blood, saliva, or urine (mcg/dL).
You will compare your results to normal ranges that were established after testing a large group of people (reference ranges). Reference ranges may vary among different people, labs, and hospitals. For this test, reference ranges are:
Morning blood test: 6–23 mcg/dL.
Evening blood test: 2–14 mcg/dL.
What do the results mean?
Results within the reference range are considered normal.
A cortisol level that is higher than normal may mean that you have:
Cushing syndrome.
Tumors near the pituitary gland or on the adrenal gland.
A cortisol level that is lower than normal may be caused
Cortisol is a hormone that plays an important role in many bodily functions. It helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar (glucose) levels, aids digestion, and triggers the “fight or flight” reaction that your body uses to respond to stressful situations.
You may have a cortisol test check for problems with the glands associated with cortisol production (pituitary gland and adrenal gland). This test may be done to help diagnose:
Hypopituitarism.
Acute adrenal crisis.
A tumor of the adrenal gland.
Cushing syndrome or disease.
Addison disease (adrenal insufficiency).
What is being tested?
This test measures the amount of cortisol in your body.
What kind of sample is taken?
This test may be done using a sample of …show more content…
If you will have a urine test, no specific preparation is needed.
Tell a health care provider about:
Any allergies you have.
All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
Any blood disorders you have.
Any surgeries you have had.
Any medical conditions you have.
Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
How are the results reported?
Your results will be reported as a value that tells you how much cortisol is in your body. This is given as micrograms of cortisol per deciliter of blood, saliva, or urine (mcg/dL).
You will compare your results to normal ranges that were established after testing a large group of people (reference ranges). Reference ranges may vary among different people, labs, and hospitals. For this test, reference ranges are:
Morning blood test: 6–23 mcg/dL.
Evening blood test: 2–14 mcg/dL.
What do the results mean?
Results within the reference range are considered normal.
A cortisol level that is higher than normal may mean that you have:
Cushing syndrome.
Tumors near the pituitary gland or on the adrenal gland.
A cortisol level that is lower than normal may be caused