Primary aldosteronism: from bench to bedside.

Primary aldosteronism is now thought to be the commonest potentially curable and specifically treatable form of hypertension. The detection of primary aldosteronism is of utmost importance not only because it provides an opportunity for a targeted treatment, but also because it has been demonstrated that patients with primary aldosteronism are more prone to cardiovascular events and target organ damage than essential hypertensives. Normalization of blood pressure and hypokalemia should not be the only goal of treatment. Normalization of circulating aldosterone or mineralocorticoid blockade is necessary to prevent aldosterone-induced tissue damage that occurs independent of blood pressure. This review will focus on the current understanding and comprehensive management review of primary aldosteronism, highlighting the new evidence that has become recently available.