News - Hypertension Week of June 22, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 25

Study: All Hypertension Patients Should Be Tested for Primary Aldosteronism

All patients with high blood pressure should be tested for the form of hypertension known as primary aldosteronism, suggests a new study presented June 19 at the annual meeting of the Endrocrine Society in Philadelphia.

Primary aldosteronism occurs when one or both adrenal glands produce too much of a salt-retaining hormone known as aldosterone. In many cases, this form of hypertension can be cured or vastly improved by removing one of the adrenal glands.

However, most physicians do not look for this condition unless low potassium levels are found in patients with hypertension.

The study conducted at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, found that the rate of primary aldosteronism rose 10 fold when physicians checked for this condition in all hypertension patients and not just those with low potassium levels. Surgical removal of the gland led to a cure or improvement in all of the aldosteronism patients.

"Through a careful, diagnostic work up we were able to diagnose a large
number of patients," said lead researcher Dr Michael Stowasser, who directs the hypertension unit at the hospital. "Conducting these tests can result in the detection of significant numbers of patients with specifically treatable and potentially curable hypertension."

Other sources: Endocrine Society