Which condition is indicated by hypertension, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis?

Primary hyperaldosteronism, also known as Conn’s syndrome, is characterized by the excessive production of aldosterone, a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure and electrolyte balance. The presence of hypertension in this condition is due to aldosterone’s effect on increasing sodium reabsorption in the kidneys, which in turn leads to an increase in blood volume and consequently elevated blood pressure.

Hypokalemia, or low potassium levels, occurs because aldosterone promotes the excretion of potassium in the renal tubules. The more aldosterone that is produced, the more potassium is lost, resulting in lower serum potassium levels.

Metabolic alkalosis is a result of the loss of hydrogen ions, which tends to occur alongside the increased sodium reabsorption. The kidneys retain bicarbonate as part of the homeostatic response to elevated sodium levels, leading to an increase in the bicarbonate concentration of the blood, thus causing metabolic alkalosis.

This triad of hypertension, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis is classic for primary hyperaldosteronism and helps distinguish it from other conditions affecting adrenal hormone production or renal function. Other options, while they may have overlapping features, do not present this specific combination of laboratory findings to the same degree