Primary Hyperaldosteronism: A highly underdiagnosed disorder in cats (and humans)

"Primary Hyperaldosteronism: A highly underdiagnosed disorder in cats (and humans)" by Prof Hans S. Kooistra, DVM, PhD | Head of Division Internal Medicine of Companion Animals, Dept. of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Vet. Med., Utrecht University, The Netherlands ABOUT THE SEMINAR: Primary hyperaldosteronism is the most common adrenal disorder in cats. The hypersecretion of aldosterone may result in signs associated with hypokalemia (such as muscular weakness) and signs associated with arterial hypertension (such as blindness due to retinal detachment). Primary hyperaldosteronism is due to an adrenal tumor or hyperplasia of adrenocortical tissue. Quite often, primary hyperaldosteronism is not diagnosed, because the hypokalemia and/or the arterial hypertension are only treated symptomatically. In the presentation, the diagnostic approach and the treatment options will be discussed, using cases that illustrate primary hyperaldosteronism. After the presentation, veterinarians will realize that they have seen cats with hyperaldosteronism but did not recognize them as such. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Prof Hans Kooistra is an expert in the field of Veterinary Medicine and serves as a member of the International Advisory Committee for the University of Nicosia School of Veterinary Medicine. Hans is a distinguished veterinary internal medicine specialist affiliated with Utrecht University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Between 1991 and 1994, he undertook an internship and residency in companion animal internal medicine. He progressed through the ranks at Utrecht, becoming a Professor in 2018. A noted expert in endocrinology, Hans became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine-Companion Animals in 1997. He earned his PhD with honours in 2000, with a thesis focusing on adenohypophyseal function in dogs. Hans has contributed to over 180 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters.