Endocrinal Hypertension and Hyperaldosteronism: Biochemical and Genetic Aspects of Adrenal Dependent Endocrinal Hypertension

Abstract

Endocrine causes of secondary hypertension include pheochromocytoma, hyperdeoxycorticosteronism, Cushing’s syndrome, apparent mineralocorticoid excess/11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency and primary aldosteronism. They comprise of the 5-10% of the causes of secondary hypertension. The identification of the genetic determinants of hypertension has been most successful in endocrine forms of hypertension. Moreover, the latest discoveries in molecular pathogenesis of these disease will provide an important basis for future personalized therapy. A promising area for the application of genetic testing to personalized therapy is the prediction of responses and adverse reactions to antihypertensive drugs. Herein, we review the different forms of endocrine hypertension, with a focus on prevalence and human genetic studies of endocrine causes of secondary hypertension, focusing on the most prominent and latest discovered genes; and related biochemical pathways reported in the literature.

Keywords: Apparent mineralocorticoid excess/11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency Cushing’s syndrome, Biochemical findings, Endocrinal Hyper-tension, Genetic testing, Hypertension, Hyperdeoxycorticosteronism, Pheochro-mocytoma, Primary aldosteronism, Prevalence, Secondary hypertension.