[The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in hypertensive patients. II. Diagnosis of primary hyperaldosteronism].

Twenty patients suffering from primary hyperaldosteronism were studied. Sixteen had a single adenoma of the adrenal and four had bilateral hyperplasia affecting both adrenals. Cases of primary hyperaldosteronism due to a tumour were characterised by a higher degree of hypermineralocorticism than was seen in the patients with hyperplasia. Plasma aldosterone, after acute volaemic expansion, did not fall below 13 ng/100 ml in the adenoma patients whilst it was lower in the case of hyperplasia. Adrenal phlebography is a useful tool in preoperative diagnosis.