Captopril challenge test: an underutilized test in the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism

Bibliographic Details
Title: Captopril challenge test: an underutilized test in the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism
Authors: Sharmin Jahan, Jun Yang, Jinbo Hu, Qifu Li, Peter J Fuller
Source: Endocrine Connections, Vol 13, Iss 3, Pp 1-11 (2024)
Publisher Information: Bioscientifica, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Diseases of the endocrine glands. Clinical endocrinology
Subject Terms: captopril challenge test, confirmatory test, hyperaldosteronism, primary aldosteronism, Diseases of the endocrine glands. Clinical endocrinology, RC648-665
More Details: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of endocrine hypertension and is often underdiagnosed. This condition is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in comparison to age and blood pressure matched individuals with essential hypertension (EH). The diagnostic pathway for PA consists of three phases: screening, confirmatory testing, and subtyping. The lack of specificity in the screening step, which relies on the aldosterone to renin ratio, necessitates confirmatory testing. The Endocrine Society’s clinical practice guideline suggests four confirmatory tests, including the fludrocortisone suppression test (FST), saline suppression test (SST), captopril challenge test (CCT), and oral sodium loading test (SLT). There is no universally accepted choice of confirmatory test, with practices varying among centers. The SST and FST are commonly used, but they can be resource-intensive, carry risks such as volume overload or hypokalemia, and are contraindicated in severe/ uncontrolled HTN as well as in cardiac and renal impairment. In contrast, CCT is a safe and inexpensive alternative that can be performed in an outpatient setting and can be applied when other tests are contraindicated. Despite its simplicity and convenience, the variability in captopril dose, testing posture, and diagnostic threshold limit its widespread use. This narrative review evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of the CCT across different populations, addresses controversies in its usage, and proposes recommendations for its use in the diagnosis of PA. Furthermore, suggestions for future research aimed at promoting the wider utilization of the CCT as a simpler, safer, and more cost-effective diagnostic test are discussed.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2049-3614
Relation: https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/13/3/EC-23-0445.xml; https://doaj.org/toc/2049-3614
DOI: 10.1530/EC-23-0445
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/3ee2c59be25644f1970ddf617cc6d2ba
Accession Number: edsdoj.3ee2c59be25644f1970ddf617cc6d2ba
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20493614
DOI:10.1530/EC-23-0445
Published in:Endocrine Connections
Language:English