Treatments for primary aldosteronism (PA) aim to correct or prevent the deleterious consequences of hyperaldosteronism: hypertension, hypokalemia and direct target organ damage. Patients with unilateral PA considered fit for surgery can undergo laparoscopic adrenalectomy, which significantly decreases blood pressure and medications in most cases, and cures hypertension in about 40%. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) are used to treat patients with bilateral PA and those with unilateral PA if surgery is not possible or not desired. Spironolactone is more potent than eplerenone, but high doses are poorly tolerated in men. MRA can be replaced or complemented with epithelial sodium channel blockers, such as amiloride. Thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers are used when the first-line drugs are insufficient to control blood pressure. Dietary sodium restriction should be implemented in all cases, because the deleterious consequences of hyperaldosteronism are dependent on salt loading. Several studies comparing the results of surgery and MRA have reported no differences in terms of blood pressure, serum potassium concentration or cardiovascular and renal outcomes, although the benefits of treatment tend to be observed sooner with surgery.PA patients display relative glomerular hyperfiltration, which is reversed by specific treatment, revealing chronic kidney disease in 30% of patients. However, further kidney damage is prevented by the treatment of PA.
Clinical summary-The goals of treatment are the normalization of serum potassium concentration, blood pressure control and prevention of the direct effects of excess aldosterone on target organs.
3-The non-surgical treatment of PA is based on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and dietary sodium restriction.-Epithelial sodium channel blockers are used when mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists are not well tolerated; thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers are used when blood pressure control is insufficient with the first-line treatment.-Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is safe and decreases BP and medication requirements in patients with unilateral PA; drug-based treatments are appropriate in cases in which surgery is inappropriate or not desired.