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Quality-of-Life Aspects of Primary Aldosteronism

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Primary Aldosteronism

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Abstract

Evidence from case reports and group data suggest that primary aldosteronism (PA) is associated with a variety of mood disorders (including anxiety, irritability, and, to a lesser extent, depression) which contribute to reduced quality of life (QOL). Specific treatment (unilateral adrenalectomy for unilateral PA or aldosterone antagonist medications for bilateral PA) results in reversal of these adverse states, with benefits appearing to be more rapidly achieved and more complete with surgical versus medical therapy. Possible contributors to reduced QOL in PA include effects of hypertension, hypokalemia, medications, aldosterone-induced obstructive sleep apnea, and direct actions of aldosterone on the central nervous system (CNS), but how such putative direct central actions may come about remains speculative. As QOL is of paramount importance from the patient’s perspective, these observations add to the weight of arguments supporting early detection of PA among hypertensive populations, careful differentiation of its subtypes, and institution of appropriate specific treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrine Hypertension Research Centre, University of Queensland School of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia

    Michael Stowasser M.B.B.S., F.R.A.C.P., Ph.D. & Ashraf H. Ahmed M.B.B.S., M.Sc., Ph.D.

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  1. Michael Stowasser M.B.B.S., F.R.A.C.P., Ph.D.
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  2. Ashraf H. Ahmed M.B.B.S., M.Sc., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Michael Stowasser M.B.B.S., F.R.A.C.P., Ph.D. .

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  1. Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

    Per Hellman

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Stowasser, M., Ahmed, A.H. (2014). Quality-of-Life Aspects of Primary Aldosteronism. In: Hellman, P. (eds) Primary Aldosteronism. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0509-6_13

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