A new report in Science finds that a few somatic KCNJ5 mutations explain a subset of aldosteroneproducing adenomas, the most frequent secondary cause of arterial hypertension. Primary aldosteronism (PAL) is the most common secondary form of arterial hypertension, with an estimated prevalence between 6% and 10% and as high as 20% in patients with resistant hypertension. In the majority of cases,...

Primary aldosteronism is characterized by autonomous production of aldosterone and arterial hypertension, and it occurs in 2 principal forms: aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA). APA can be cured through removal of the adenoma, whereas IHA leads to hypertension that must be treated with medication. The origin of the autonomous aldosterone production in IH...

Type I pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA) is a hereditary disease characterized by salt wasting resulting from target organ unresponsiveness to mineralocorticoids. We have studied two kindreds including a total of nine patients with PHA. In kindred I, the propositus presented with renal salt wasting in infancy (vomiting, failure to thrive, short stature, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia) and responded dra...

OBJECTIVES To study the long-term outcome of patients with primary hyperaldosteronism who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy and to determine the preoperative predictive factors of persistent hypertension. METHODS Between 1996 and 2002, 47 patients with primary hyperaldosteronism underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy at our institution. Their clinical and biochemical paramete...

We report the case of a 48-year old man with uncontrolled hypertension and persistent hypokalaemia from an aldosterone producing adrenal adenoma treated by laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Clinicians' identification of primary hyperaldosteronism is critical as the correct treatment results in improved blood pressure control and reduced risk of complications.

Familial hyperaldosteronism type II (FH-II) is characterized by autosomal dominant inheritance and hypersecretion of aldosterone due to adrenocortical hyperplasia or an aldosterone-producing adenoma; unlike FH type I (FH-I), hyperaldosteronism in FH-II is not suppressible by dexamethasone. Of a total of 17 FH-II families with 44 affected members, we studied a large kindred with 7 affected membe...

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that aldosterone may impair endothelium-dependent vascular function through suppression of nitric oxide formation. Assessments of forearm blood flow or arterial compliance suggest a similar effect in humans. The present study was designed to determine whether chronic aldosterone excess in subjects with resistant hypertension impairs endothelium-dependent vascul...

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Secondary endocrine hypertension accounts for 5-12% of hypertension's causes. In selected patients (type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea syndrome with resistant hypertension, sudden deterioration in hypertension control), prevalence could be higher. OBJECTIVES To present etiology of endocrine secondary hypertension in a series of patients younger than 40 years at hyper...

BACKGROUND We report a rare case of a juxta-adrenal schwannoma that could not be discriminated from an adrenal tumor before surgical resection and was complicated by bilateral hyperaldosteronism. To the best of our knowledge, this is first case in which both a juxta-adrenal schwannoma and hyperaldosteronism co-existed. CASE PRESENTATION A 69-year-old male treated for hypertension was found to...

Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is used to distinguish unilateral from bilateral aldosterone hypersecretion as a cause of primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA). This distinction is critical because unilateral disease is treated, and often cured, by adrenalectomy, whereas bilateral hypersecretion should be managed medically. In this article, we review the epidemiology and etiologies of PHA, present scr...