What is congenital adrenal hyperplasia?
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or CAH, is a disorder that affects the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce hormones, including sex hormones and cortisol and aldosterone. A person who has CAH doesn't make enough of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone, and makes too much androgen, which is a male sex hormone.
CAH is usually diagnosed at birth or in early childhood. Both boys and girls can have CAH.
Adrenal glands
Source
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: Not Really a Zebra by MA Deaton, JE Glorioso, DB McLean (American Family Physician March 01, 1999, http://www.aafp.org/afp/990301ap/1190.html)
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff
Reviewed/Updated: 02/10
Created: 03/99