Whitworth, Judith AWilliamson, Paula MMangos, GeorgeKelly, John J2016-01-272016-01-271176-6344http://hdl.handle.net/1885/95663Cushing's syndrome is a consequence of primary or, more commonly, secondary oversecretion of cortisol. Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Cushing's syndrome, and excess risk remains even in effectively treated patients. The cardiovascular consequences of cortisol excess are protean and include, inter alia, elevation of blood pressure, truncal obesity, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. This review analyses the relationship of cortisol excess, both locally and at tissue level, to these cardiovascular risk factors, and to putative mechanisms for hypertension. Previous studies have examined correlations between cortisol, blood pressure, and other parameters in the general population and in Cushing's syndrome. This review also details changes induced by short-term cortisol administration in normotensive healthy men.© 2005 Dove Medical Press Limited. http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/1176-6344..."Publisher's version/PDF may be used. On institutional repository, central repository or subject -based repository, including PubMed Central" from SHERPA/RoMEO site (as at 27/01/16).blood pressurecortisolCushing's syndromerisk factors2005-1210.2147/vhrm.2005.1.4.2912016-02-24