What potentially life-threatening condition can result from rapid cessation of longstanding glucocorticoid therapy?

The condition that can arise from the abrupt discontinuation of long-term glucocorticoid therapy is known as adrenal crisis. This occurs because exogenous glucocorticoids suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. When glucocorticoids are suddenly stopped after prolonged use, the body may not be able to initiate adequate adrenal hormone production immediately, leading to insufficient cortisol levels.

In a state of adrenal crisis, patients typically present with symptoms such as severe fatigue, hypotension, hypoglycemia, and potentially shock, which can be life-threatening if not promptly addressed. Patients who have relied on glucocorticoids for a considerable period require careful tapering of their medication to allow the adrenal glands to gradually resume normal function and hormone production.

In contrast, the other listed conditions (thyroid storm, sepsis, and pheochromocytoma) do not specifically correlate with the withdrawal from glucocorticoid treatment and involve entirely different pathophysiological mechanisms.