Contributed by – Healthians Team
What is the aldosterone test?
An aldosterone (ALD) test measures the amount of aldosterone in the blood. It is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, two small glands located above the kidneys.
ALD helps in the management of blood pressure and also maintains healthy levels of sodium and potassium in the blood. Sodium and potassium are electrolytes which balance the level of fluids in the body. They also keep nerves and muscles working properly.
Therefore, it’s important to have a healthy amount of aldosterone in the blood as any variation may lead to serious complications.
Who should get tested?
Your doctor may order the aldosterone test if you exhibit symptoms of too much or too little ALD.
Symptoms of too much ALD include –
- Weakness
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Temporary paralysis
- Muscle cramps
And symptoms of too little ALD include –
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
Why is the aldosterone test needed?
Aldosterone test helps in the diagnosis of –
- disorders that cause the adrenal glands to make too much ALD, called primary or secondary aldosteronism
- adrenal insufficiency, a condition in which adrenal glands make too little ALD
- tumour in the adrenal gland
- cause of high blood pressure
What does aldosterone test results mean?
If your results show that you have higher than normal amounts of ALD in blood, then that could mean –
- Primary aldosteronism – Caused by benign tumours or other adrenal gland issues which causes them to make too much ALD
- Secondary aldosteronism – Caused by conditions related to heart, liver or kidneys that make adrenal glands to produce too much ALD
- You have a diet low in sodium
And if your test results show that you have lower than normal ALD in blood, then that could mean –
- Addison disease – A type of adrenal insufficiency
- Secondary adrenal insufficiency – A disorder caused by problems with the pituitary gland
- You have a diet very high in sodium
How is the test done?
For the aldosterone test, a small amount of blood is needed. It is collected by a trained sample collector from a vein in your arm. The process is simple and should not take more than 5 minutes to complete. Although it’s relatively painless, you might feel a prick of the needle. Any kind of special preparation, like fasting, is usually not required before the sample is collected. However, certain existing medical conditions and medications can influence your test results. Hence, it is recommended to inform the doctor in advance about any existing chronic conditions or medications you take regularly.
