Unpacking Primary Aldosteronism: New insights and advances in diagnosis (23 min)

Approximately 120 million people in the US have hypertension, which is about half of the adult population. Identifying the mechanisms that cause hypertension is crucial for the proper treatment of patients, yet 9 out of 10 patients do not know the origin of their hypertension. New research reveals that up to 30% of patients suffer from hypertension due to primary aldosteronism (PA). With less than 1% of patients with hypertension being screened for hypertension, today’s episode is designed to bring awareness to PA and discuss the breakthrough research that may help drive screening for PA. Today’s episode is with Maeson Latsko, PhD, Clinical and Education Specialist at Quest Diagnostics Center of Excellence at Cleveland Heartlab, Dr Sanjay Dixit, and Dr Marco Marcelli, board certified endocrinologists and medical directors with Quest Diagnostics.

This episode will

• Define hypertension and PA (3:30, 6:15)
• Describe the intricate link between hypertension and PA (5:40)
• Review current screening tools for PA (6:35)
• Discuss how novel research can capture even more patients with hypertension due to PA (9:50)
• Discuss who should be screened for PA (17:15)
• Outline how a diagnosis of PA can influence treatment considerations (18:50)

To learn more, please review the additional resources below for information on our cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and wellness offerings as well as educational resources and insights from our team of experts. At Quest Diagnostics, we are committed to providing you with results and insights to support your clinical decisions.

Date: 3/2025

Speaker(s): Sanjay Dixit, MD, Marco Marcelli, MD, Maeson Latsko, PhD

Contributor(s): Maeson Latsko, PhD, Trisha Winchester, PhD

Additional Resources:

https://www.questdiagnostics.com/healthcare-professionals/about-our-tests/endocrine-disorders/primary-aldosteronism

Ordering information:

Plasma Renin Activity with Reflex to Aldosterone | Test Detail | Quest Diagnostics

 

References:

Marcelli M, Bi C, Funder JW, McPhaul MJ. Comparing ARR Versus Suppressed PRA as Screening Tests for Primary Aldosteronism. Hypertension. 2024;81(10):2072-2081. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.124.22884

 

Brown JM, Siddiqui M, Calhoun DA, Carey RM, Hopkins PN, Williams GH, Vaidya A. The unrecognized prevalence of primary aldosteronism: a cross-sectional study. Ann Intern Med. 2020;173:10–20. doi: 10.7326/M20-0065

 

Vaidya A, Hundemer GL, Nanba K, Parksook WW, Brown JM. Primary Aldosteronism: State-of-the-Art Review. Am J Hypertens. 2022;35(12):967-988. doi:10.1093/ajh/hpac079

Auchus RJ. Approaching Primary Aldosteronism as a Common Disease. Endocr Pract. 2023;29(12):994-998. doi:10.1016/j.eprac.2023.08.014

 

Ostchega Y, Fryar CD, Nwankwo T, et al. Hypertension Prevalence Among Adults Aged 18 and over: United States, 2017-2018. April 2020. Accessed November 20, 2024. Products - Data Briefs - Number 364 - April 2020

 

Dogra P, Bancos I, Young WF Jr. Primary Aldosteronism: A Pragmatic Approach to Diagnosis and Management. Mayo Clin Proc. 2023;98(8):1207-1215. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2023.04.023

 

Funder JW, Carey RM, Mantero F, et al. The Management of Primary Aldosteronism: Case Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(5):1889-1916. doi:10.1210/jc.2015-4061