Hipertensión por hiperaldosteronismo: más lesión cardiaca, mayor riesgo cardiovascular / Hypertension caused by primary hyperaldosteronism: increased heart damage and cardiovascular risk

Introducción y objetivos. El hiperaldosteronismo primario es la causa de hipertensión arterial secundaria más frecuente. Las concentraciones de aldosterona elevadas producen daño cardiaco y mayor morbimortalidad cardiovascular, por lo que un diagnóstico precoz modificará su evolución. El objetivo es estudiar las características clínicas, la repercusión cardiaca y el riesgo cardiovascular en el hiperaldosteronismo primario. Métodos. Se estudió a 157 pacientes con este diagnóstico. Se revisó el motivo del estudio y las exploraciones complementarias, ecocardiograma incluido. Como comparador se utilizó una cohorte de 720 pacientes con hipertensión arterial esencial seguida en nuestra unidad. Resultados. Los pacientes con hiperaldosteronismo eran más jóvenes que los hipertensos esenciales (56,9 ± 11,7 frente a 60 ± 14,4 años; p < 0,001) y tenían presiones arteriales previas al diagnóstico etiológico mayores (136 ± 20,6 frente a 156 ± 23,2 mmHg), más antecedentes de enfermedad cardiovascular precoz (el 25,5 frente al 2,2%; p < 0,001), mayor prevalencia de hipertrofia ventricular concéntrica (el 69 frente al 25,7%) y mayor riesgo cardiovascular. El tratamiento específico permitió el óptimo control de las presiones arteriales sistólica y diastólica (de 150,7 ± 23,0 y 86,15 ± 14,07 mmHg a 127,69 ± 15,3 y 76,34 ± 9,7 mmHg). Motivaron el estudio de hiperaldosteronismo: hipertensión resistente (33,1%), hipopotasemia (38,2%) y crisis hipertensivas (12,7%). Sólo el 4,6% de los pacientes llegaron remitidos desde atención primaria con diagnóstico de sospecha de hiperaldosteronismo. Conclusiones. Debe sospecharse hiperaldosteronismo en pacientes con hipertensión resistente, hipopotasemia o crisis hipertensivas. El diagnóstico de hiperaldosteronismo permite un mejor control de la presión arterial. La hipertrofia ventricular izquierda es la lesión de órgano diana más frecuente(AU)

Introduction and objectives. Primary hyperaldosteronism is the most common cause of secondary hypertension. Elevated aldosterone levels cause heart damage and increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis could change the course of this entity. The objective of this report was to study the clinical characteristics, cardiac damage and cardiovascular risk associated with primary hyperaldosteronism. Methods. We studied 157 patients with this diagnosis. We analyzed the reason for etiological investigation, and the routinely performed tests, including echocardiography. We used a cohort of 720 essential hypertensive patients followed in our unit for comparison. Results. Compared with essential hypertensive patients, those with hyperaldosteronism were younger (56.9 [11.7] years vs 60 [14.4] years; P<.001), had higher blood pressure prior to the etiological diagnosis (136 [20.6] mmHg vs 156 [23.2] mmHg), more frequently had a family history of early cardiovascular disease (25.5% vs 2.2%; P<.001), and had a higher prevalence of concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (69% vs 25.7%) and higher cardiovascular risk. Specific treatment resulted in optimal control of systolic and diastolic blood pressures (from 150.7 [23.0] mmHg and 86.15 [14.07] mmHg to 12.69 [15.3] mmHg and 76.34 [9.7] mmHg, respectively). We suspected the presence of hyperaldosteronism because of resistant hypertension (33.1%), hypokalemia (38.2%), and hypertensive crises (12.7%). Only 4.6% of these patients had been referred from primary care with a suspected diagnosis of hyperaldosteronism. Conclusions. Hyperaldosteronism should be suspected in cases of resistant hypertension, hypokalemia and hypertensive crises. The diagnosis of hyperaldosteronism allows better blood pressure control. The most prevalent target organ damage is left ventricular hypertrophy(AU)

Hypertension caused by primary hyperaldosteronism: increased heart damage and cardiovascular risk.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Primary hyperaldosteronism is the most common cause of secondary hypertension. Elevated aldosterone levels cause heart damage and increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis could change the course of this entity. The objective of this report was to study the clinical characteristics, cardiac damage and cardiovascular risk associated with primary hyperaldosteronism. METHODS: We studied 157 patients with this diagnosis. We analyzed the reason for etiological investigation, and the routinely performed tests, including echocardiography. We used a cohort of 720 essential hypertensive patients followed in our unit for comparison. RESULTS: Compared with essential hypertensive patients, those with hyperaldosteronism were younger (56.9 [11.7] years vs 60 [14.4] years; P<.001), had higher blood pressure prior to the etiological diagnosis (136 [20.6] mmHg vs 156 [23.2] mmHg), more frequently had a family history of early cardiovascular disease (25.5% vs 2.2%; P<.001), and had a higher prevalence of concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (69% vs 25.7%) and higher cardiovascular risk. Specific treatment resulted in optimal control of systolic and diastolic blood pressures (from 150.7 [23.0] mmHg and 86.15 [14.07] mmHg to 12.69 [15.3] mmHg and 76.34 [9.7] mmHg, respectively). We suspected the presence of hyperaldosteronism because of resistant hypertension (33.1%), hypokalemia (38.2%), and hypertensive crises (12.7%). Only 4.6% of these patients had been referred from primary care with a suspected diagnosis of hyperaldosteronism. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperaldosteronism should be suspected in cases of resistant hypertension, hypokalemia and hypertensive crises. The diagnosis of hyperaldosteronism allows better blood pressure control. The most prevalent target organ damage is left ventricular hypertrophy.