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Why is this common disease often ignored? It turns out that high blood pressure is related to the adrenal glands!
Hypertension is a common condition, yet the underlying causes are often overlooked. Among them, primary hyperaldosteronism (PA) is a type of hypertension caused by excessive aldosterone secretion by the adrenal glands, but it is often not diagnosed in time. This article will explore the causes, symptoms and diagnosis of this common condition, hoping to arouse attention to this disease.
Primary aldosteronism is a condition in which the adrenal glands produce excessive aldosterone, which causes low renin levels and high blood pressure.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Many people with primary aldosteronism may exhibit fatigue, hypokalemia as well as hypertension, which can lead to poor vision, confusion, or headaches. Other possible symptoms include muscle soreness and weakness, muscle spasms, back and lateral lower back pain, tremors, tingling sensations, dizziness, or nocturia.
Complications of primary aldosteronism include cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, myocardial infarction, renal failure and abnormal heart rhythm.
Cause analysis
Studies show that about 33% of cases are caused by adrenal adenoma (i.e., Conn's syndrome), while 66% are caused by bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. Less common causes include adrenal cancer and a genetic disorder called familial aldosteronism. Given the diversity of their etiologies, many patients are often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.
Diagnostic Method
Medical providers generally conduct screening by testing the aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR) in the blood. In the case of patients with high blood pressure as well as hypokalemia, this test can help doctors determine whether it is primary aldosteronism. However, measuring the level of aldosterone alone is often insufficient to confirm the diagnosis, and further salt inhibition testing, fluctuating salt stress testing, or fluchlorothiathide inhibition testing are required for further confirmation.
About 10% of hypertensive patients are affected by primary aldosteronism, and the condition is more common in women than men.
Treatment Options
The treatment will vary for patients with different etiologies. In the case of adrenal adenoma, surgical removal of the adenoma is often able to achieve therapeutic effects. and for patients with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, the use of aldosterone antagonists such as spironolactone or epylide can be effective in controlling the disease. Notably, improperly treated patients may be at risk for poorly controlled hypertension, thereby increasing the incidence of stroke, heart disease, and renal failure.
Improvement of public health awareness
Public organizations that help raise awareness of primary aldosteronism such as the Primary aldosteronism Foundation promote research and diagnosis of this condition through advocacy and research. We need to better understand this disease, especially its possible impact on adrenal health.
When we are faced with the common disease of hypertension, how many of us are able to realize the adrenal problems that may be lurking behind our health?
