“This research suggests that we should consider testing a wider range of patients for aldosterone imbalances, as these are treatable,” said Dr. Gregory Hundemer.A new study led by researchers at The Ottawa Hospital has shown for the first time that even mild imbalances with the hormone aldosterone are associated with a higher risk of major cardiovascular complications such as heart attack, heart failure, stroke and death.

The study, published in Circulation, followed a cohort of more than 2,000 healthy Canadians for a median of 11 years after aldosterone testing. People who had mild aldosterone imbalances (which would not typically be treated) were about twice as likely to develop major cardiovascular complications than those with normal aldosterone, although the overall risk was still less than 10 per cent.

Current guidelines suggest that aldosterone testing should only be done in people with hypertension that is resistant to other treatments.

“This research suggests that we should consider testing a wider range of patients for aldosterone imbalances, as these are treatable,” said senior author Dr. Gregory Hundemer, scientist, kidney specialist and Lorna Jocelyn Wood Chair for Kidney Research at The Ottawa Hospital and associate professor at the University of Ottawa.

Authors: Goupil R, Desbiens LC, Merabtine A, Agharazii M, Madore F, Vaidya A, Leung AA, Kline GA, Shaw JLV, Ramsay T, Nadeau-Fredette AC, Sood MM, Hundemer GL.

Cores: Ottawa Methods Centre

Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Kidney Foundation of Canada

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa and supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.