Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast. My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be

talking to you about hyper-adosteronism. And you can find written notes on this topic at

zero-to-finals.com slash hyper-aldosteronism or in the endocrinology section of the zero to finals medicine book.

So let's get straight into it.

Hyperaldosteronism refers to high levels of the hormone aldosterone.

Cons syndrome refers specifically to an adrenal adenoma producing too much aldosterone. Consen syndrome refers specifically to an adrenal adenoma producing too much aldosterone.

Kons syndrome is not the only cause of hyperadostronism and we'll go through the causes shortly.

Hyperaldosterinism may be present in 5 to 10% of patients with hypertension.

Hypertension is the key presenting feature

and many patients are otherwise asymptomatic.

It may cause non-specific symptoms such as headaches,

muscle weakness and fatigue.

Let's start with some physiology of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system.

Renin is an enzyme released by the juxtaglomerular cells in the aphrant arterials in the kidney. There are

also some in the efferent arterials, but they're mainly found in the aphrant arterials.

These cells sense the blood pressure in these vessels and secrete more renin in response to a low blood pressure

and less renin in response to a high blood pressure.

Renin converts angiotensinogen, which is released by the liver,

into angiotensin 1. Angiotensin 1 converts to angiotensin 2 in the lungs with the help of an

enzyme called angiotensin converting enzyme or ACE. Angiotensin 2 stimulates the release of aldosterone from the adrenal glands.

Aldosterone is a mineralocorticoid steroid hormone.

It acts on the nephrons in the kidneys to increase sodium reabsorption from the distal tubule, increase potassium secretion from

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