Re: How can I be tested for the genetic form of hyperaldosteronism?

[Guest guest]

Your DR can talk to his lab and see how they can send sample to Dr. Dluhy. See recent abstract below from search on PubMed for GRA hypertension and got 39 hits.

Cardiol Rev. 2004 Jan-Feb;12(1):44-8. Related Articles,

May your pressure be low!

CE Grim, BS (Chem/Math), MS (Biochem), MD.

Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology

Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Hypertension

Published over 230 research papers, chapters and reviews in the area of high blood pressure: epidemiology, history, endocrinology, genetics and physiology.

Links

 

Glucocorticoid-remediable aldosteronism.

McMahon GT, Dluhy RG.

Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Hypertension, Brigham & Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism (GRA) appears to be the most common monogenic form of human hypertension. As a result of chimeric gene duplication, aldosterone is ectopically synthesized in the zona fasciculata of the adrenal gland under the control of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). Affected individuals are typically hypertensive, often with onset in youth, and demonstrate refractoriness to standard antihypertensives such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers. GRA subjects are normokalemic but often develop hypokalemia when treated with a potassium-wasting diuretic. Analysis of affected kindreds has demonstrated a high prevalence of early cerebral hemorrhage, largely as a result of aneurysms. Identification of affected individuals should allow direct neurovascular screening and targeted antihypertensive therapy.

[Guest guest]

GRA or Familial hypoeraldostronism Type - I can be tested for by Drs

Lifton and Dulhey. They can be found through the Brigham and Womens

hospital in Boston( I think). Dr Lifton is operating under a grant

from Yale as I understand it. Dr Lifton is the resercher and Dr

Dulhey is the phycian that actually sees patients. Unfortunatly if

it is not FH-I it can still be genetic and there is not a genetic

marker as yet for Type - II. I will find the information as my

daughter and I were tested and send it to you directly but I posted

on the site to give anyone else the info too.

> Does anybody know the test for the genetic form of

> hyperaldosteronism?

>

> Dr. Grim mentioned that it could be tested for and that it is

> treated differently, if I understood correctly.

>

> Please reply to airlinerg@r... directly if possible so I

> can ask my doctor to test me.

[Guest guest]

At this stage in my life, I am 46 years old and do not plan to have

children.

Would there be any benefit in my checking if I have the genetic form

of hyperaldosteronism?

Would my treatment be different than it is now?

Thanks.

> Your DR can talk to his lab and see how they can send sample to

Dr. Dluhy.

> See recent abstract below from search on PubMed for GRA

hypertension and got

> 39 hits.

>

> Cardiol Rev. 2004 Jan-Feb;12(1):44-8. Related Articles,

>

>

>

>

> May your pressure be low!

>

> CE Grim, BS (Chem/Math), MS (Biochem), MD.

> Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology

> Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Hypertension

> Published over 230 research papers, chapters and reviews in the

area of high

> blood pressure: epidemiology, history, endocrinology, genetics and

physiology.

>

> Links

>

>  

> Glucocorticoid-remediable aldosteronism.

>

> McMahon GT, Dluhy RG.

>

> Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Hypertension, Brigham &

Women's

> Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

>

> Glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism (GRA) appears to be the

most common

> monogenic form of human hypertension. As a result of chimeric gene

duplication,

> aldosterone is ectopically synthesized in the zona fasciculata of

the adrenal

> gland under the control of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). Affected

individuals

> are typically hypertensive, often with onset in youth, and

demonstrate

> refractoriness to standard antihypertensives such as angiotensin-

converting enzyme

> inhibitors and beta-blockers. GRA subjects are normokalemic but

often develop

> hypokalemia when treated with a potassium-wasting diuretic.

Analysis of affected

> kindreds has demonstrated a high prevalence of early cerebral

hemorrhage,

> largely as a result of aneurysms. Identification of affected

individuals should

> allow direct neurovascular screening and targeted antihypertensive

therapy.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/10/04 15:39:55, airlinerg@... writes:

At this stage in my life, I am 46 years old and do not plan to have

children.

Would there be any benefit in my checking if I have the genetic form

of hyperaldosteronism?

Would my treatment be different from it is now?

Yes, it might be. Low dose prednisone may help. But if your BP is doing well on current Rx with no side effects and not too much cost I would not do further testing.

If you have GRA then on the average 1/2 of your sibs will have it and 1/2 of your aunts and uncles will have it (depending on if the gene came from your mom or dad. You can get an idea by looking and why all of your ancestors died. I would be of benefit for them to be tested if you have it.

Be happy to look at family tree and do an analysis.

May your pressure be low!

CE Grim, BS (Chem/Math), MS (Biochem), MD.

Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology

Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Hypertension

Published over 230 research papers, chapters and reviews in the area of high blood pressure: epidemiology, history, endocrinology, genetics and physiology.