A recent study has raised concerns about the reliability of a widely used hypertension diagnostic tool, suggesting it may lead to missed treatment opportunities for cardiovascular patients.
Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the study found that tests commonly used to diagnose hypertension-related conditions are often inaccurate. This could prevent patients from receiving treatments that could significantly improve heart health.
The research focused on the seated saline suppression test (SSST), a diagnostic method for primary aldosteronism—a condition found in up to 30% of people with hypertension.
Primary aldosteronism involves excess production of aldosterone, a hormone that helps regulate sodium and potassium levels. This hormonal imbalance often causes salt retention, raising blood pressure.
Although treatments for the condition exist, its complex diagnosis means fewer than 1% of affected individuals are properly identified and treated. The study underscores the urgent need for more accurate diagnostic methods.
Researchers studied 156 participants involved in clinical trials between 2017 and 2024. All had previously been diagnosed with primary aldosteronism and underwent follow-up SSST testing after receiving treatment for the condition.
The goal was to assess whether the SSST could reliably distinguish between patients who responded to treatment and those who did not. The results showed that it could not.
The research team concluded that the SSST offers little diagnostic value. It warned that reliance on this test could lead to misguided treatment decisions, ultimately depriving patients of potentially beneficial care.
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