[Hypertension and steroid hormones].

Mineralocorticoid excess causes hypertension by facilitating the sodium retension at renal tubules. Such mechanism operates in hypertension such as primary hyperaldosteronism and some forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Recently, deficient cortisol metabolism in the aldosterone target organ has been recognized as a novel form of hypertension known as apparent mineralocorticoid excess. In this review hypertensive disorders caused by adrenal cortical hormones is briefly stated.