ACTH Stimulation Test - Outpatient Information

What is this test for?

Your doctor has ordered this test to make sure your pituitary and adrenal glands are working properly.  The adrenal gland sits on top of each of your kidneys.  The pituitary gland secretes a hormone called Adrenocorticotropic Hormone or ACTH that stimulates the adrenal glands to make cortisol.  Cortisol regulates many things in your body such as blood sugar, proteins, lipid metabolism, decreases the immune response, and blood pressure.  The ACTH rises when cortisol is low and falls when cortisol is high.  You will be given an injection of Cortrosyn (a synthetic ACTH) into your vein to see how your adrenal gland reacts when given a small dose of Cortrosyn. The doctor can tell by the laboratory test of your blood at certain times after the injection if the adrenal gland is working as it should.  

What do you need to do?

1. Come to the hospital and check in with registration as an outpatient.  The test will be scheduled in the morning.  You will not be able to eat or drink after midnight the night before your test.  
2. You will relax in a bed in the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC).  An IV will be started so the medicine can be given into the vein.  A nurse will draw a Cortisol and a ACTH levels (a laboratory test) before the medication is given.  Staff will also take your vital signs before the medication is given. 
3. The Cortrosyn injection will be given slowly into the IV.
4. The nurse will stay with you for the first 30 minutes after giving the medication to make sure you are feeling okay.  During this time, vital signs will be taken.  
5. A nurse will draw Cortisol levels at 30 minutes and 60 minutes from the time the Cortrosyn was given.  
6. After the test is complete, the IV will be removed and vital signs will be taken.  
7. Your doctor will call you with the results of the test.  This is a specialized test so the MHP lab must send out the blood draws to be tested. 
8. Please plan on a minimum of two hours for the test and to be at the hospital. 

To reschedule the date or time of your original appointment, please call the ACC at 317-398-6655.