Final answer:
The long-term treatment for Addison's disease involves the replacement of glucocorticoids, like cortisol, and mineralocorticoids, such as aldosterone, due to the adrenal glands' failure to produce these hormones adequately. The correct answer is option c: Glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids.
Step-by-step explanation:
Long-term treatment of Addison's disease consists of replacement of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. Addison's disease is characterized by the insufficient production of hormones from the adrenal glands, notably cortisol, a glucocorticoid, and in some cases, aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid. The disease involves an autoimmune reaction that targets the adrenal cortex, causing an array of systemic symptoms such as hyperpigmentation of the skin, fatigue, low blood pressure, and salt cravings.
Cortisol affects the body's stress response, immune system, and metabolism, while aldosterone helps regulate sodium and potassium levels in the blood. To manage Addison's disease, patients usually require life-long hormone replacement therapy to maintain normal metabolic processes and prevent complications associated with the disease.