DefinitionCushing syndrome is a disorder that occurs when your body is exposed to high levels of the hormone cortisol. It may also occur if you take too much cortisol or other steroid hormones.See also: Cushing's disease (pituitary Cushing's)Alternative NamesHypercortisolismCauses, incidence, and risk factorsCushing syndrome may be caused by taking too much corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone and prednisolone. These drugs are used to treat conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.Other people develop Cushing syndrome because their bodies produce too much cortisol, a hormone normally made in the adrenal gland. Causes of too much cortisol are:Cushing's disease, when the pituitary gland makes too much of the hormone ACTH. ACTH then signals the adrenal glands to produce co