A hormone made by the adrenal gland, aldosterone has a role in your potassium levels. When it is released, it tells the kidneys to reabsorb sodium and excrete potassium. A person with a high level of aldosterone will have a high level of sodium in their bloodstream and a low level of potassium. A high sodium level is a risk factor for high blood pressure. People with Conn syndrome have high blood pressure and low potassium levels.
What is Conn Syndrome?
An adenoma is a benign tumor that looks like a gland or is made of structures that resemble a gland. An adrenal adenoma is a benign tumor inside the adrenal gland. Because it is a tumor and not normal adrenal tissue, the adrenal adenoma does not follow any regulations, and it can cause Conn syndrome when it continually releases aldosterone. Most people with Conn syndrome are 30 to 60 years old, Paul Fitzgerald, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, reports in the book "Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment."
Conn Syndrome, Hypertension and Low Potassium
People with this disorder have hyperaldosteronism, or high levels of the aldosterone. When this hormone is released from the adrenal gland, it instructs the kidneys to hold onto sodium and excrete potassium, as Ashley Grossman, professor of neuroendocrinology at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in Britain, explains in "The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals." When the kidneys hold onto sodium, water is reabsorbed, and this increases the blood volume and pressure. In Conn syndrome, the high aldosterone level results in a high amount of sodium in the bloodstream, high blood pressure and a low amount of potassium.
Symptoms
People may have headaches because of their high blood pressure. The low potassium level can lead to cramps, muscle weakness and paralysis. People may develop polyuria, or have to urinate frequently. Low potassium can interfere with the release of insulin from the pancreas, William Elliott, professor of preventive medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, writes in the book "Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Nephrology & Hypertension." The beta cells of the pancreas release insulin to keep the glucose level in the bloodstream within a normal range. If low potassium interferes with insulin release, the patient can develop diabetes mellitus.
Treatment
The treatment of Conn syndrome includes surgery to remove the adrenal adenoma, which can usually be done using a laparoscope instead of having to cut open the abdomen. Elliott advises that some people may need to take spironolactone, amiloride or eplerenone, which has fewer side effects. Many may also need medication to lower their high blood pressure.
References
- Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Nephrology & Hypertension"; Edgar Lerma, M.D., Jeffrey Berns, M.D., Allen Nissenson, M.D.; 2009
- "Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2011"; Stephen McPhee, M.D., Maxine Papadakis, M.D.; 2011
- The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Primary Aldosteronism
