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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffThe most serious complication of primary aldosteronism is high blood pressure. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to:
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Left ventricular hypertrophy — enlargement of the muscle that makes up the wall of the left ventricle, your heart's main pumping chamber
- Stroke
- Kidney disease or kidney failure
- Premature death
Some, but not all, people with primary aldosteronism have low potassium levels, which can cause fatigue, muscle cramps, excess urination and cardiac arrhythmias.
- Funder JW, et al. Case detection, diagnosis and treatment of patients with primary aldosteronism: An Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;(93):3266-3281.
- Gomez-Sanchez CE, et al. Three perspectives on aldosterone's role in cardiovascular disease: Salt's not the only bad guy. The Endocrine Society. http://www.endo-society.org/endo_news/tri_point/upload/Tri-Point-Series-June-2005-EN.pdf. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Young WF, et al. Clinical features of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Hyperaldosteronism. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch153/ch153f.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Sechi LA. Long-term renal outcomes in patients with primary aldosteronism. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006;295(22):2638-2645.
- Young WF, et al. Treatment of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Aldosterone and renin. Lab Tests Online. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/aldosterone/test.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2008.
- Young WF, et al. Clinical features of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=adrenal/19130&selectedTitle=3~56&source=search_result. Accessed Nov. 28, 2008.
- Young WF, et al. Treatment of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=adrenal/19430&selectedTitle=2~56&source=search_result. Accessed Nov. 28, 2008.
