Renal outcome in hyperaldosteronism

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common form of secondary hypertension and affects up to 10% of all hypertensive patients. PA has deleterious effects on kidney function independent of blood pressure levels. However, up to now data regarding the effectiveness of different PA treatment forms on renal function are scarce.

Fourkiotis et al. conducted a prospective multi-centre study of newly-diagnosed PA patients evaluated before and 1 year after treatment initiation, and a second cohort including 119 patients who were evaluated 5.3 and 6.8 years after treatment initiation. They report that medical therapies with spironolactone or eplerenone seem to be as effective as adrenalectomy regarding renal function and blood pressure. Their data also suggests that a higher daily dose of eplerenone is needed to be given than spironolactone. Fourkiotis et al. (2013) European Journal of Endocrinology 168, 75-81.

Read the full article at DOI: 10.1530/EJE-12-0631.