... types of PA or HTN ... can you have more than one type?

[Guest guest]

Dr Grim,

I will know this soon from genetics, but I am curious.

Can a person have more than one type of rare PA. Specifically, can you have CAH and GRA. I will be tested for both soon. On the top of the testing list is GRA. By the way, my parents found they were related after marriage. Both me and my one brother have bad problems.

Both parents seem to have had some EDS symptoms. Mom had the Severe HTN. Plus I know of at least one sister that hat HTN. Dad did not have hypertension. Because of this the doctors are considering recessive illnesses.

INSURANCE: My insurance problem has been solved. Actually, there never was a problem. It was the clerk at the genetics hospital. On checking with my Aetna carrier, I was told that I can see ANY doctor in the country. And that if Medicare denies me the bill should be sent to them the secondary carrier who will pay. I suppose the people doing Genetic testing have had it hard. They said most insurances did not pay. I am in a Medicare/Aetna plan.

So, I am happily :-D back to doing medical records preparation. Since it has to go to at least four doctors, electronic records make sense. I might have to add more memory to my PC. Technology :-(.

[Guest guest]

Rare things occur rarely. The combination of 2 rare things would be every more unlikely but not impossible.

May your pressure be low!

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

Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Hypertension

Former Epidemiologic Intelligence Services Officer (Lt. Comdr.), CDC

Specializing in Difficult to Manage High Blood Pressure

Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin

[Guest guest]

>

> Rare things occur rarely. The combination of 2 rare things would be

every

> more unlikely but not impossible.

>

Unfortunately, this is true only if there is no causal relationship.

Since HTN is considered essential, that is, of unknown origin; its

relationship to other things is unknown. It is known that HTN is a

function of aging. A PA patient may end up with it just because he

grew old. More ominously; PA damages the kidney, and arteries, and

with time, may lead to HTN. Wayne

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/8/06 10:44:36 AM, wbongianni@... writes:

Unfortunately, this is true only if there is no causal relationship. 

Since HTN is considered essential, that is, of unknown origin; its

relationship to other things is unknown.  It is known that HTN is a

function of aging.  A PA patient may end up with it just because he

grew old.  More ominously; PA damages the kidney, and arteries, and

with time, may lead to HTN.  Wayne

Ah yes HTN is very common, only 3-10% will have PA depending on how you test for it.

Our current data suggests that much of the HTN of aging is indeed aldo related. This was also found in the Framingham study. Aldo was a strong predictor of future HTN. I think I discuss this in my evolution article. The problem seems to be that renin goes down with age but aldo does not. Add salt to that and BAM you have HTN.

May your pressure be low!

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

Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Hypertension

Former Epidemiologic Intelligence Services Officer (Lt. Comdr.), CDC

Specializing in Difficult to Manage High Blood Pressure

Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin