What is an aldosterone (ALD) test?
This aldosterone test measures the amount of aldosterone (ALD) in your blood or urine. ALD is a hormone made by your adrenal glands, two small glands located above the kidneys. ALD helps control blood pressure and maintain healthy levels of sodium and potassium. Sodium and potassium are electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals that help balance the amount of fluids in your body and keep nerves and muscles working properly. If ALD levels are too high or too low, it can be a sign of a serious health problem.
ALD tests are often combined with tests for renin, a hormone made by the kidneys. Renin signals the adrenal glands to make ALD. The combined tests are sometimes called an aldosterone-renin ratio test or aldosterone-plasma renin activity.
What is aldosterone (ALD) test used for?
- An aldosterone (ALD) test is most often used to:
- Help diagnose primary or secondary aldosteronism, disorders that cause the adrenal glands to make too much ALD
- Help diagnose adrenal insufficiency, a disorder that causes the adrenal glands to not make enough ALD
- Check for a tumor in the adrenal glands
- Find the cause of high blood pressure
Why do I need an aldosterone test?
You may need this test if you have symptoms of too much or too little aldosterone (ALD).
Symptoms of too much ALD include:
- Weakness
- Tingling
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Temporary paralysis
- Muscle cramps or spasms
Symptoms of too little ALD include:
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Dark patches of skin
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Decreased body hair
What happens during an aldosterone test?
Aldosterone (ALD) may be measured in blood or urine.
During a blood test, a health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
The amount of ALD in your blood can change depending on whether you are standing up or lying down. So you may get tested while you are in each of these positions.
For an ALD urine test, your health care provider may ask you to collect all urine during a 24-hour period. Your health care provider or a laboratory professional will give you a container to collect your urine and instructions on how to collect and store your samples. A 24-hour urine sample test generally includes the following steps:
- Empty your bladder in the morning and flush that urine away. Record the time.
- For the next 24 hours, save all your urine passed in the container provided.
- Store your urine container in the refrigerator or a cooler with ice.
- Return the sample container to your health provider’s office or the laboratory as instructed.
Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
You may be asked to stop taking certain medicines for at least two weeks before you get tested.
These include:
- High blood pressure medicines
- Heart medicines
- Hormones, such as estrogen or progesterone
- Diuretics (water pills)
- Antacid and ulcer medicines
- You may also be asked to avoid very salty foods for about two weeks before your test. These include chips, pretzels, canned soup, soy sauce, and bacon. Be sure to ask your health care provider if you need to make any changes to your medications and/or diet.
What do the results mean?
If your results show you have higher than normal amounts of aldosterone (ALD), it may mean you have:
- Primary aldosteronism (also known as Conn syndrome). This disorder is caused by a tumor or other problem in the adrenal glands that causes the glands to make too much ALD.
- Secondary aldosteronism. This happens when a medical condition in another part of the body causes the adrenal glands to make too much ALD. These conditions include high blood pressure and diseases of the heart, liver, and kidneys.
- Preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure that affects pregnant women
Barter syndrome, a rare birth defect that affects the kidneys’ ability to absorb sodium
If your results show you have lower than normal amounts of ALD, it may mean you have:
- Addison disease, a type of adrenal insufficiency caused by damage or other problem with the adrenal glands. This causes too little ALD to be made.
- Secondary adrenal insufficiency, a disorder caused by a problem with the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain. This gland makes hormones that help the adrenal glands work properly. If there are not enough of these pituitary hormones, the adrenal glands won’t make enough ALD.
If you are diagnosed with one of these disorders, there are treatments available. Depending on the disorder, your treatment may include medicines, dietary changes, and/or surgery. If you have questions about your results, talk to your health care provider.
Disclaimer
Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from a panel of individual experts and are not to be considered opinions of Medikstar.