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Researchers discover link between aldosterone and brain in hypertension
Kontak AC. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010;95:4756-4761.
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Aldosterone appears to be a major stimulator of the brain centers that control the vascular system and blood pressure, research suggests.
New data “provide the first evidence in humans that aldosterone-producing adenoma is accompanied by reversible sympathetic overactivity, which may contribute to the accelerated hypertensive target organ disease in this condition,” researchers concluded.
The study was conducted to determine whether hyperaldosteronism can cause reversible sympathetic activation. Researchers studied 14 hypertensive patients who had primary aldosteronism and compared them with 20 hypertensive patients and 18 normotensive patients.
“Between 10% and 20% of patients with high BP who are resistant to treatment have elevated aldosterone hormones,” Wanpen Vongpatanasin, MD, associate professor of internal medicine at University of Texas Southwestern, said in a press release. “We wanted to understand whether aldosterone also increases the nerve activity that causes constriction of blood vessels, which elevates BP in humans.”
Patients with primary aldosteronism had baseline sympathetic nerve activity that was similar to hypertensive patients but significantly higher than normotensive patients.
Results showed that after unilateral adrenalectomy for aldosterone-producing adenoma, sympathetic nerve activity, plasma aldosterone and BP levels decreased significantly.
“Our study suggested that treatment of hypertension in these patients not only requires targeting the kidneys but also the sympathetic nervous system that controls BP,” Vongpatanasin said in the release. She added, “This study sheds light on why BP is so difficult to control in patients with high aldosterone levels.”
With these data in mind, the researchers said future studies are needed to determine methods to prevent adverse effects of aldosterone on the brain.
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