Abstract-Primary aldosteronism (PA) has been associated with cardiovascular hypertrophy and fibrosis, in part independent of the blood pressure level, but deleterious effects on the kidneys are less clear. Likewise, it remains unknown if the kidney can be diversely involved in PA caused by aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA). Hence, in the Primary Aldosteronism Prevalence in Italy (PAPY) Study, a prospective survey of newly diagnosed consecutive patients referred to hypertension centers nationwide, we sought signs of renal damage in patients with PA and in comparable patients with primary hypertension (PH). Patients (nϭ1180) underwent a predefined screening protocol followed by tests for confirming PA and identifying the underlying adrenocortical pathology. Renal damage was assessed by 24-hour urine albumin excretion (UAE) rate and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). UAE rate was measured in 490 patients; all had a normal GFR. Of them, 31 (6.4%) had APA, 33 (6.7%) had IHA, and the rest (86.9%) had PH. UAE rate was predicted (PϽ0.001) by body mass index, age, urinary Na ϩ excretion, serum K ϩ , and mean blood pressure. Covariate-adjusted UAE rate was significantly higher in APA and IHA than in PH patients; there were more patients with microalbuminuria in the APA and IHA than in the PH group (Pϭ0.007). Among the hypertensive patients with a preserved GFR, those with APA or IHA have a higher UAE rate than comparable PH patients. Thus, hypertension because of excess autonomous aldosterone secretion features an early and more prominent renal damage than PH. Key Words: hypertension, endocrine Ⅲ aldosterone Ⅲ mineralocorticoids Ⅲ kidney Ⅲ hypertrophy Ⅲ adrenal gland T he results of large intervention trials 1,2 and cross-sectional studies (reviewed by Rossi et al 3 ) have recently refueled the interest on the deleterious cardiovascular effects of excess aldosterone. Moreover, growing evidence 4 indicates that primary aldosteronism (PA) is a common cause of secondary hypertension: in the Primary Aldosteronism Prevalence in Italy (PAPY) study, a prospective survey of 1180 consecutive newly diagnosed hypertensive patients referred to specialized hypertension centers, aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) were found in 4.8% and 6.4% of all patients, respectively, thus leading to an overall prevalence of PA of Ϸ11%. 5 It has been contended that this form of secondary hypertension is relatively "benign," that is, devoid of cardiovascular complications, because of the suppression of the renin-angiotensin system, which plays a substantial role in cardiovascular remodeling and damage. 6,7 This view has, however, been challenged by recent data. 3,8 PA has in fact been associated with widespread tissue fibrosis, 9 vascular remodeling, 10 and excess prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction 11 that were corrected by adrenalectomy. 12 A higher incidence of cardiovascular complications, including atrial fibrillation, has also been...

In a multicenter study the SIT was safe and specific for excluding PA, but had no place for discriminating between an APA and IHA.

Pheochromocytoma (PH) and paraganglioma (PG) are neuroendocrine neoplasms arising from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla and the sympathetic ganglia, respectively. Although are unusual cause of hypertension (HT) accounting for at most 0.1-0.2 % of cases, they may lead to severe and potentially lethal hypertensive crisis due to the effects of the released catecholamines. However, both PH and PG may be asymptomatic as ~30 % of subjects are normotensive or have orthostatic hypotension and in these cases the 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring is an important toll to diagnose and treat HT. HT treatment may be difficult when PH or PG occurs in pregnancy or in the elderly subjects and in these cases a multidisciplinary team is required. When surgical excision is mandatory the perioperative management requires the administration of selective α1-adrenergic blocking agents (i.e., doxazosin, prazosin or terazosin) followed by a β-adrenergic blockade (i.e., propranolol, atenolol). This latter should never be started first because blockade of vasodilatory peripheral β-adrenergic receptors with unopposed α-adrenergic receptor stimulation can lead to a further elevation of BP. Although labetalol is traditionally considered the ideal agent due to its α- and β-adrenergic antagonism, experimental studies do not support its use in this clinical setting. As second regimen, the administration of vasodilators as calcium channel blockers (i.e., nicardipine, nifedipine) may be required to control BP. Oral and sublingual short-acting nifedipine are potentially dangerous in patients with hypertensive emergencies and are not recommend. The latest evidences into the diagnosis and treatment of hypertensive crisis due to PH and PG are reviewed here.