hyperaldosteronism

hyperaldosteronism, increased secretion of the hormone aldosterone by the cells of the zona glomerulosa (the outer zone) of the adrenal cortex. The primary actions of aldosterone are to increase retention of salt and water and to increase excretion of potassium by the kidneys and to a lesser extent by the skin and intestine. Hyperaldosteronism may be classified as primary or secondary.

Primary hyperaldosteronism

In 1955 American internist Jerome Conn described a form of high blood pressure (hypertension) associated with low serum potassium concentrations (hypokalemia) in patients who had a benign tumor (adenoma) of the cells of the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. These patients had high serum aldosterone concentrations and increased urinary aldosterone excretion. In most patients, hypertension and hypokalemia disappeared when the tumor was removed. This disorder is called primary hyperaldosteronism, or primary aldosteronism, to distinguish it from secondary hyperaldosteronism, which is caused by disorders that result in loss of sodium (salt) and water from the body and decreased blood flow to the kidneys. Primary hyperaldosteronism also can result from hyperplasia (growth of abnormally high numbers of cells) of both adrenal glands.

Primary hyperaldosteronism is characterized by hypertension and low serum potassium concentrations, which can cause fatigue, muscle weakness, aches or cramps, and increased thirst and urination. In addition, patients may have headaches, numbness and tingling of the hands and feet, and disturbances in cardiac rhythm, including ventricular tachycardia.

Primary hyperaldosteronism is a rare cause of hypertension, accounting for fewer than 5 percent of cases. It is diagnosed by finding high concentrations of aldosterone in the serum and urine in the presence of low plasma renin activity (renin is produced in the kidneys; its production is decreased when aldosterone secretion is increased). Other findings include hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis (reduced acidity of the blood due to excessive excretion of acid from the body).

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Hormonal and radiological studies can be used to distinguish primary hyperaldosteronism caused by an adrenal tumor from that caused by adrenal hyperplasia. The former is treated by surgery, whereas the latter is treated by antihypertensive drugs and by spironolactone, a drug that blocks the action of aldosterone on the kidney tubules.

Secondary hyperaldosteronism

Secondary hyperaldosteronism occurs as a consequence of activation of the normal physiologic mechanisms that maintain salt and water balance, blood volume, and blood flow to the kidneys. When salt and water are lost—for example, as a result of diarrhea, persistent vomiting, or excessive perspiration—the production of renin is increased, and therefore the production of angiotensin and aldosterone is increased. As aldosterone production increases, the kidneys are stimulated to reabsorb salt and water from the urine to correct deficits in serum electrolyte concentrations and in blood volume. Some diseases stimulate this same sequence of events. For example, congestive heart failure or cirrhosis of the liver can cause an effective decrease in blood pressure, and narrowing of a renal artery can cause a reduction in the flow of blood to a kidney.

In all these situations, successful treatment of the primary disease leads to a restoration of normal renin, angiotensin, and aldosterone production. If treatment is unsuccessful, then drugs that block the action of aldosterone on the kidneys, such as spironolactone or eplerenone, can be given. Most patients with secondary hyperaldosteronism do not have hypertension or low serum potassium concentrations; the exception is patients with renal artery disease.

Another cause of hyperaldosteronism is Bartter syndrome (potassium wasting syndrome), in which increased potassium excretion occurs as a result of increased production of aldosterone. Bartter syndrome is associated with genetic mutations that affect the genes encoding potassium and chloride transporters in the renal tubules.