Vnitr Lek 2015, 61(5):480-483

Primary hyperaldosteronism: problems of diagnostic approaches

Jiří Widimský jr

Centrum pro hypertenzi III. interní kliniky 1. LF UK a VFN Praha, přednosta prof. MUDr. Štěpán Svačina, DrSc., MBA

Primary hyperaldosteronism (PH) is common cause of endocrine/secondary hypertension with autonomous aldosterone overproduction by adrenal cortex. PH is typically characterized by hypertension, hypokalemia, high plasma aldosterone/renin ratio, high aldosterone, suppressed renin and nonsupressibilty of aldosterone during confirmatory tests. Diagnosis of PH can be difficult since hypokalemia is found only in 50 % of cases and measurement of the parameters of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system can be influenced by several factors. Morphological diagnosis requires in majority of cases adrenal venous sampling. Early diagnostic and therapeutic measures are very important due to high prevalence of PH and potential cure. Patients with suspicion to PH should be investigated in experienced hypertensive centers due to relatively difficult laboratory and morphological diagnostic approaches.

Keywords: diagnosis; hypertension; primary hyperaldosteronism

Received: January 19, 2015; Accepted: April 8, 2015; Published: May 1, 2015  Show citation