Aortic Intramural Hematoma Associated with Primary Aldosteronism

Intramural hematoma of the aorta is a variant of aortic dissection characterized by the absence of direct communication between the false lumen and the true lumen of the aorta. Primary aldosteronism, which is an uncommon cause of hypertension, may direct alter arterial structure through the pleiotropic effects of aldosterone as well as pressure-mediated indirect alterations. There have been several reported cases of aortic dissection in patients with primary aldosteronism, which suggests a causal relationship between the two diagnostic entities. However, intramural hematoma has not been described in a patient with primary aldosteronism. We describe a case of aortic intramural hematoma in a patient with primary aldosteronism and speculate about the causal relationship between these two entities. (J Korean Endocr Soc 24:217~220, 2009)