Hypertension, Primary Aldosteronism
Conditions
Brief summary
This research study aims to learn more about the impact the hormone aldosterone on the heart. Primary aldosteronism is a condition where the body's adrenal glands make too much of the hormone aldosterone, which can cause high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart and kidney disease. Treatment with medications that block aldosterone can reduce that risk. This study is trying to learn whether treatment with a medication that blocks aldosterone can improve heart function in people who make too much aldosterone.
Detailed description
The study evaluates the impact of 6 months of treatment with the mineralocorticoid receptor blocking medication eplerenone on the heart's blood flow, using a cardiac PET stress test, and on the heart's structure and function by echocardiogram. Participants with a confirmed diagnosis of primary aldosteronism will undergo echocardiogram and cardiac PET stress test before and after 6 months of eplerenone treatment. Participants without a confirmed diagnosis of primary aldosteronism but with hypertension and a recent clinical PET test and echocardiogram will undergo testing to make the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. Those who test positive will go on to treatment with eplerenone for 6 months, followed by a cardiac PET scan and echocardiogram.
Interventions
DRUGEplerenone
After baseline cardiac imaging with PET and echocardiogram, participants will be treated with eplerenone for 6 months at a starting dose of 50mg daily and up to a maximally tolerated dose of 100mg daily, followed by repeat imaging with PET and echocardiogram.
Sponsors
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Cohort A: Overt & Diagnosed PA Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18-85 * Able to provide informed consent and willing to comply with the study * Able to fit safely in PET/CT scanner (weight limit 500 pounds; diameter and circumference of PET/CT scanner are 70 cm and 220 cm, respectively) * Hypertension treated with at least one antihypertensive drug * Cohort A: Clinically confirmed diagnosis of PA not yet treated with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists
Exclusion criteria
* History of MI, CABG, known cardiomyopathy (EF \<40%, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and/or amyloid), cardiac transplantation * Contraindication or allergy to eplerenone or spironolactone * Current pregnancy or breastfeeding * eGFR \< 45 mL/min/1.73m2 or potassium \> 5.1 on labs within the preceding 3 months * Cohort A: Planned adrenalectomy in the subsequent 6 months Cohort B: Subclinical & Undiagnosed PA Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18-85 * Able to provide informed consent and willing to comply with the study * Able to fit safely in PET/CT scanner (weight limit 500 pounds; diameter and circumference of PET/CT scanner are 70 cm and 220 cm, respectively) * Hypertension treated with at least one antihypertensive drug * Cohort B: Clinically indicated cardiac PET perfusion scan within the preceding 3 months and echocardiogram within the preceding 6 months
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in myocardial flow reserve (MFR, unitless ratio) | 6 months | The primary outcome is to evaluate the change in MFR, as measured by PET, pre- vs post-6 months of eplerenone therapy |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in peak-stress myocardial blood flow (ml/min/g) | 6 months | Peak stress myocardial blood flow is measured by PET after vasodilator-induced maximal hyperemia, before and after 6 months of eplerenone treatment |
| Change in Global Longitudinal Strain (%) | 6 months | Global Longitudinal Strain is measured by echocardiography before and after 6 months of eplerenone treatment |
| Change in LV Mass Index (g/m2 of body surface area) | 6 months | LV Mass Index is measured by echocardiography before and after 6 months of eplerenone treatment |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactJenifer M Brown, MD
Outcome results
None listed