• In our body, there are more than 50 hormones, that control or regulate many biological processes.
• Aldosterone is a hormone, made in the adrenal glands located above the kidneys. It plays an important role in maintaining normal blood sodium and potassium concentrations and controlling blood volume and pressure.
• Renin is an enzyme made by our kidneys, that controls aldosterone production.
• These tests are conducted to measure the levels of aldosterone and renin in the blood and/or the level of aldosterone in urine.
• If the levels of renin and/or aldosterone are not in the normal range, it can be a sign of a serious adrenal gland disorder. As these two hormones work together, both these tests are often done at the same time.

What it is used for?

• This renin and/or aldosterone test is used to find out if the adrenal glands are making too much or too little aldosterone.
• It is useful in diagnosing a disease known as primary aldosteronism (PA) also known as primary hyperaldosteronism or Conn syndrome, which occurs due to having too much aldosterone.
• PA causes high blood pressure (BP) and if not treated, high blood pressure leads to many complications including an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and/or kidney failure.

Why should you get it tested?

• A healthcare professional may ask for the test when a patient is diagnosed with high blood pressure, and particularly when not responding well to standard blood pressure-lowering medicines.
• Also, it is ordered when there are chances of low aldosterone production, linked with low blood pressure, high potassium, and low sodium.
• PA may also cause low potassium levels, so if any patient has the following symptoms related to low potassium, may need to take the test –
  Muscle cramps
  Headache & fatigue
  Weakness
  Excessive thirst and feeling of dehydration

What do the results mean?

• The test results may depend/vary as per the patient’s age, gender, past medical history, current health condition, and many other things.
• Your doctor/healthcare professional will provide the exact diagnosis.
• In general, the following can be the interpretations –
  High level of aldosterone and a low level of renin may mean you have primary aldosteronism.
  Higher renin than the normal amount of renin may mean you have -
  Addison disease, a condition in which your adrenal glands do not make enough of certain hormones
  Liver Cirrhosis, scarring of the liver
  Dehydration


• Lower renin may also be related to kidney disease
• Lower than normal renin/Lower than normal aldosterone may also be related to Cushing's syndrome, a disorder in which the adrenal glands make too much of a hormone called cortisol.
• Higher than normal renin/Higher than normal aldosterone, may mean you have secondary aldosteronism. It is a medical condition in another part of the body that can cause the adrenal glands to make too much aldosterone. These conditions include diseases of the heart, liver, and kidneys.