High blood pressure may have a hidden cause – scientists
Scientists have discovered that a hidden cause of high blood pressure—primary aldosteronism—may manifest through nighttime surges of the hormone aldosterone. A study using continuous 24-hour monitoring of 60 patients revealed daily fluctuations invisible in standard blood tests, which may explain late diagnosis of the condition.
Scientists have discovered that a hidden cause of high blood pressure—primary aldosteronism—may manifest through nighttime surges of the hormone aldosterone, which go unnoticed in standard diagnostics. The study, published in ScienceDaily, used a portable continuous hormone monitoring system. The device, about the size of a mobile phone, was attached to the waist of 60 patients from Bristol, Bergen, Stockholm, and Athens, automatically collecting samples through the skin every 20 minutes for 24 hours. This revealed that patients with primary aldosteronism may experience periods of increased hormone production at different times of day, including nighttime surges. Co-author Thomas Upton noted that due to daily fluctuations and diagnostic complexity, many patients may go without a correct diagnosis for a long time. Senior author Eder Zavala emphasized that round-the-clock monitoring uncovered a previously hidden pattern. Scientists suggest that such technology could make diagnosis more accurate in the future and help doctors tailor treatment to individual hormonal activity dynamics.