Left heart morphology and function in primary aldosteronism

High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev. 2012 Mar 1;19(1):11-7. doi: 10.2165/11593690-000000000-00000.

Abstract

Primary aldosteronism is the most frequent cause of secondary hypertension, accounting for up to 11% of cases in selected populations. Patients affected by primary aldosteronism have shown higher prevalence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events compared with patients with essential hypertension, despite similar blood pressure levels. Several studies have been performed over past years aiming to explain these data; many of these evaluated echocardiographic differences in hypertension-related cardiac organ damage between primary aldosteronism and essential hypertension. This article summarizes the present knowledge about structural and functional alteration of the human left heart in primary aldosteronism.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Heart Atria / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Atria / physiopathology
  • Hemodynamics
  • Humans
  • Hyperaldosteronism / complications*
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / diagnostic imaging
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / etiology*
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / physiopathology
  • Ultrasonography
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / etiology*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / physiopathology
  • Ventricular Function, Left*