Health Authority

Two types of rare tumors in the adrenal gland is less common secondary causes of hypertension. The adrenal glands sit just above the kidneys. Both tumors produce excessive amounts of adrenal hormones, which causes high blood pressure. These tumors can be diagnosed from blood tests, urine and imaging studies of the adrenal glands. Surgery is often necessary to remove these tumors or adrenal glands (adrenalectomy), which usually relieves the hypertension.





 One type of tumor of the adrenal glands causes a condition called primary aldosteronism because the tumor produces excessive amounts of the hormone aldosterone. In addition to hypertension, this condition leads to loss of excessive amounts of potassium in the body in urine, resulting in low levels of potassium in the blood. Aldosteronism is usually the first suspect in a person with hypertension when low levels of potassium is also found in the blood. (In addition, certain rare genetic disorders affecting the hormones of the adrenal gland can cause secondary hypertension.)

Other tumors of the adrenal gland, which can cause high blood pressure is called the second pheochromocytoma. This tumor produces excessive catecholamines, which contain a number of adrenaline-related hormones. The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is suspected in patients with acute hypertension and recurrent, associated with redness of the skin, rapid heartbeat (palpitations), sweating, and, in addition to symptoms of high blood pressure.