Cardiovascular Manifestations of MR Activation in Primary Aldosteronism: Pilot Clinical Study
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Summary
This research study aims to learn more about the impact the hormone aldosterone on the heart. Primary aldosteronism is a condition where the body's adrenal glands make too much of the hormone aldosterone, which can cause high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart and kidney disease. Treatment with medications that block aldosterone can reduce that risk. This study is trying to learn whether treatment with a medication that blocks aldosterone can improve heart function in people who make too much aldosterone.
Description
The study evaluates the impact of 6 months of treatment with the mineralocorticoid receptor blocking medication eplerenone on the heart's blood flow, using a cardiac PET stress test, and on the heart's structure and function by echocardiogram. Participants with a confirmed diagnosis of primary aldosteronism will undergo echocardiogram and cardiac PET stress test before and after 6 months of eplerenone treatment. Participants without a confirmed diagnosis of primary aldosteronism but with hypertension and a recent clinical PET test and echocardiogram will undergo testing to make the diagnosis…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–85 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Cohort A: Overt \& Diagnosed PA Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18-85 * Able to provide informed consent and willing to comply with the study * Able to fit safely in PET/CT scanner (weight limit 500 pounds; diameter and circumference of PET/CT scanner are 70 cm and 220 cm, respectively) * Hypertension treated with at least one antihypertensive drug * Cohort A: Clinically confirmed diagnosis of PA not yet treated with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists Exclusion Criteria: * History of MI, CABG, known cardiomyopathy (EF \<40%, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and/or amyloid), cardiac trans…
Interventions
- DrugEplerenone
After baseline cardiac imaging with PET and echocardiogram, participants will be treated with eplerenone for 6 months at a starting dose of 50mg daily and up to a maximally tolerated dose of 100mg daily, followed by repeat imaging with PET and echocardiogram.
Location
- Brigham and Women's HospitalBoston, Massachusetts