Primary Aldosteronism - Causes

Causes

The syndrome is due to:

• Most commonly Adrenal Adenoma (Conn's Syndrome) (66%)
• Bilateral idiopathic adrenal hyperplasia (30%)
• Primary (unilateral) adrenal hyperplasia—2% of cases
• Aldosterone-producing adrenocortical carcinoma—<1% of cases
• Familial Hyperaldosteronism (FH)
• Glucocorticoid-remediable aldosteronism (FH type I)—<1% of cases
• FH type II (APA or IHA)—<2% of cases
• Ectopic aldosterone-producing adenoma or carcinoma—< 0.1% of cases

Recent studies indicate that the prevalence of aldosteronism due to bilateral idiopathic adrenal hyperplasia (IAH) is higher than had previously been believed, for as many as 75% of aldosteronism cases.