Adrenal Gland Tumors: A Little-Known Cause of High Blood Pressure

Almost one in three Americans has hypertension - and for most people the treatment consists of lifestyle changes and medications to control blood pressure. But scientists from Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden and Yale University recently discovered that some cases of hypertension are due to tumors on the adrenal gland, the small gland which lies above the kidney. They estimate that these adrenal tumors may be the cause of high blood pressure in up to 1 out of 10 people with the disease.

Adrenal Gland Tumors - A Cause of Hypertension

When Swedish and Yale researchers examined 22 tumors of the adrenal gland, they found a specific gene mutation that coded for development of the tumor. This mutation also causes overproduction of a hormone by the adrenal gland called aldosterone.

Aldosterone plays an important role in controlling blood pressure by regulating how much sodium and potassium is retained by the body. When aldosterone levels are high, the body holds on to more sodium instead of excreting it into the urine. This sodium retention increases blood volume and blood pressure.

This gene mutation, which causes tumors to grow on the adrenal gland and too much aldosterone to be produced, elevates blood pressure, leading to hypertension. Fortunately, these tumors that 5 to 10% of people with hypertension have are benign.

A Secondary Cause of Hypertension?

Scientists have long known that some cases of hypertension have secondary causes, meaning there is a cause for the elevated blood pressures such as kidney disease, some types of heart disease, or an overactive thyroid - to name a few. When hypertension is caused by a secondary problem, it's usually difficult to control the elevated pressures using standard blood pressure medications and the hypertension is often more severe.

Tumors of the adrenal gland can also be classified as a secondary cause of hypertension and it may be hard to control blood pressures in people with these tumors - making it a cause of hard-to-treat hypertension that doesn't respond well to medications.

The Bottom Line?

Researchers hope to get a better understanding of this new cause of hypertension so they can design screening tests pick up the gene mutation early. By identifying people with this gene mutation at an earlier stage, it may be possible to remove these tumors while they're still small - and correct the hypertension. Stay tuned for further research on this cause of high blood pressure.

References:

Medical News Today. "Mutation in Adrenal Gland May Cause High Blood Pressure"