SFE/SFHTA/AFCE consensus on primary aldosteronism, part 1: Epidemiology of PA, who should be screened for sporadic PA?

Abstract

Depending on the study, the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in patients with hypertension varies from 6 to 18%. Prevalence is higher in each of the following conditions, any one of which requires screening for PA: severe hypertension (systolic blood pressure [BP]≥180mmHg and/or diastolic BP≥110mmHg); resistant hypertension (systolic BP≥140mmHg and/or diastolic BP≥90mmHg despite adherence to a tritherapy including a thiazide diuretic); hypertension associated with hypokalemia (either spontaneous or associated with a diuretic); Hypertension or hypokalemia associated with adrenal incidentaloma. It should be borne in mind that PA can induce hypertension without hypokalemia or, less frequently, hypokalemia without hypertension. Finally, as cardiovascular and renal morbidity in PA is greater than in essential hypertension of equivalent level, screening for PA is indicated when cardiovascular or renal morbidity is more severe than predicted from BP level.