Aldosterone Products

Information

Aldosterone is the chief mineralocorticoid that is produced in the adrenal cortex. Its function is to increase sodium levels in the blood. It does so primarily by increasing the retention of sodium through the epithelial sodium channel (along with excretion of potassium) in the kidneys.

Aldosterone is regulated by the renin-angiotensin system. When the blood pressure is low, blood flow to the kidneys is less and this causes a reduced GFR. Less sodium filtered into the renal tubules is sensed by special cells in the distal convoluted tubules of the nephrons and this activates the renin-angiotensin system. The main effects are increased release of aldosterone and sodium retention to restore blood volume.

Diagnostic Guidelines

Based on the levels of aldosterone, two types of abnormalities can result: Hyper-aldosteronism and hypo-aldosteronism.

Hyper-aldosteronism can be either primary or secondary. In primary form for example Conn’s disease, the cause is idiopathic adrenal hyperplasia (in two thirds of the patients) or a tumor of the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex (zone that secretes aldosterone) inn around one third of the patients. Whatever the cause, the renin levels is such cases are low and serve to differential it from the secondary form. The symptoms mainly include hypertension, headache, fatigue, polyuria, polydypsia and hypertonia (10% of the cases).

In secondary hyper-aldosteronism, the cause is over activity of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and so the findings are increased renin levels in addition to increased aldosterone levels. In all suspected cases of hyper-aldosteronism, a ration of aldosterone to renin levels helps to differentiate primary from the secondary form (although the secondary form is less frequent).

Hypo-aldosteronism is caused by adrenal cortical insufficiency (Addison’s disease) or hypo-functioning of the anterior pituitary.

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