Relative/absolute adrenal insufficiency is not uncommmon in the patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. However, this complication was rarely reported due to its unspecific clinical presentations and the unawareness of ICU physicians and cardiac surgeons. However, this puts them on a higher risk of hemodynamic instability and cardiovascular adverse events during hospitalization. Systematic reviews concentrated on it are rarely reported currently. We aim to review the etiology, risk factors, potential pathogenesis and related research progress for this complication.
