[Endocrine emergencies]

An endocrine crisis is a hormonal disorder that leads to death if left untreated. The fundamental importance of endocrine regulatory circuits for homeostasis is also evident in critical illnesses-as a consequence of another disease or as a cause. In fact, the clinical presentation of a crisis is often nonspecific and therefore differs from the classical presentation of endocrine disorders. This review summarizes intensive care aspects of crises due to glucocorticoid deficiency (adrenal crisis) or excess (Cushing's crisis), excess thyroid hormone (thyroid storm), and hypercalcemic crisis (parathyroid crisis). The focus is on differential diagnostic classification, stabilization as a primary intensive care task, and differentiation from detailed endocrinological differential diagnostics.