Glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism

Glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism, also called familial hyperaldosteronism type I, is an inherited condition in which the adrenal glands, the small glands that sit on top of each kidney, make too much of the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone helps the kidneys control how much salt the body keeps, so an excess makes the kidneys hold on to salt and fluid and raises blood pressure. High blood pressure usually appears between childhood and early adulthood and can be mild or severe, and without treatment it raises the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. The cause is an abnormal fusion of two neighboring genes on chromosome 8, CYP11B1 and CYP11B2, which leads to overproduction of the enzyme aldosterone synthase. The condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. It takes its name from the fact that it can be treated with glucocorticoid steroid medicines, which sets it apart from the other familial forms of hyperaldosteronism.