Aldosterone Escape

The adrenal glands are located on the top of your kidneys, and produce adrenaline, cortisol, aldosterone, and other steroid hormones that enable the body to respond to stress. Conn's disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone. It is frequently caused by a benign (non-cancerous) tumor of an adrenal gland. High blood pressure (hypertension) is often the only symptom of Conn's disease. In some cases, the condition can lower the level of the mineral potassium in a patient's blood. This can lead to muscle weakness, headaches, and the passing of large amounts of urine. The secondary effects of the hypertension are important - complications such as renal and retinal damage (microvascular disease) are more likely with poorly controlled hypertension which is usually the case with Conn’s syndrome - hence early detection is important.