Adrenal tumors – a highly neglected cause of hypertension

  ”Hypertension is a relatively common condition today, mostly a primary cardiovascular disease. However, there are some patients, especially younger patients, who must be alerted if they develop hypertension!  This is because it is easy to overlook the cause of this secondary hypertension, which is actually a hypertension caused by an adrenal-related disorder. Because the cause of these hypertensions is not easily detected, it is important to go to a hospital urology department for a careful examination to understand the cause of the disease and then to perform the relevant surgical treatment for the cause. Most patients can be cured of most hypertension after surgery on the adrenal glands without the need for long-term medication. Adrenal-associated hypertension is hypertension caused by adrenal disorders. Its common adrenal gland disorders include cortisolism, primary aldosteronism, congenital adrenocortical hyperplasia and pheochromocytoma. So what are the symptoms of these diseases?  1, cortisolism: the main manifestations are full-moon face, polycythemia appearance, centripetal obesity, acne, purple lines, hypertension, osteoporosis, etc. There are some patients with diabetes or elevated blood sugar, which is the so-called secondary diabetes caused by this adrenal tumor.  2. Pheochromocytoma: The main manifestations are obvious fluctuation of blood pressure, with or without postural hypotension, attacks with headache, sweating, palpitations, pallor, nausea, chest pain or abdominal pain, alternating between hypertension and hypotension. This patient’s blood pressure is particularly high, sometimes it may go above 200mmHg, and there is even the possibility of death from cerebrovascular accidents, and must be seen immediately in a hospital, otherwise it may be life-threatening!  3. Primary aldosteronism: The main manifestations are hypertension, hypokalemia, hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, hyporenin and hypoangiotensinemia. It may lead to generalized weakness, respiratory depression, etc.  Most of the adrenal-related hypertension is associated with adrenal tumors. In addition to these typical clinical manifestations, some auxiliary examinations such as ultrasound, CT, MRI can detect adrenal tumors in time, and combined with other laboratory tests, can effectively help to diagnose adrenal-related hypertension.  Currently, surgery is the most effective treatment for this type of hypertension, but surgery has certain risks, so adequate preparation is needed before surgery. Therefore early detection of hypertension and active identification of the cause and effective treatment is the key to avoid the occurrence of serious complications in the heart, brain and kidney target organs, and at the same time, the administration of hypertensive drugs can be reduced or even eliminated, thus reducing the side effects of long-term medication.