Introduction: Resistant hypertension is a clinical condition in which blood pressure (BP) control is not achieved under a pharmacological therapy including a diuretic and at least two additional antihypertensive drug classes.
Aim: To discuss an unusual presentation of uncontrolled hypertension despite multiple anti-hypertensive medications.
Methods and results: A 46-year-old woman presented with resistant hypertension (HT) and with a long history of polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss and psychiatric symptoms (sudden onset of personality disorder with free anxiety, negativism and asthenia) unsuccessfully treated with antidepressant drugs. Tests for secondary HT showed a marked increase of serum renin and aldosterone both in clinostatic (342 pg/ml and 907 pmol/l, respectively) and orthostatic posture (351 pg/ml and 2845 pmol/l, respectively), hypokalemia (2.9 mmol/l) and macroalbuminuria (431 mg/day). Diagnostic examinations also revealed a focal stenosis of approximately 70 % of the proximal right renal artery with post-stenotic dilation. After percutaneous balloon angioplasty and stent implantation, BP was normalized with 5 mg/day amlodipine and psychiatric symptoms suddenly disappeared.
Conclusions: Psychopathological symptoms are rare at the onset of hyperaldosteronism, and their aetiology is not well defined. A proper diagnostic and therapeutic process is mandatory in order to get the recommended therapeutic targets in short-midterm improving long-term prognosis. We also suggest not considering depressed or treat with antidepressant agents a young hypertensive subject with uncontrolled hypertension despite multiple anti-hypertensive medications without having ruled out a secondary form of hypertension.
Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Pseudo-resistant hypertension; Renin-angiotensin system.