Effects of adrenal ablation on blood pressure and target organ damage in deoxycorticosterone acetate–salt hypertensive rats

BackgroundPrimary aldosteronism is a common and underdiagnosed form of secondary hypertension. However, preclinical investigations of adrenal ablation as a potential therapeutic approach for primary aldosteronism treatment are limited.MethodsA deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rat model was established, and the animals were treated with either unilateral adrenal ablation or oral spironolactone for 12 weeks. Blood pressure was continuously monitored throughout the study period. The key endpoints included blood pressure regulation, circulating hormone levels, and target organ damage.ResultsAdrenal ablation markedly reduced blood pressure in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats. During the first 8 weeks of treatment, the antihypertensive effect exerted by adrenal ablation was significantly greater than that achieved using oral spironolactone. After 8 weeks, the blood pressure-lowering effects of both interventions were comparable, although each effect remained significantly lower than that in the untreated controls. Moreover, adrenal ablation was more effective than spironolactone in attenuating the target organ damage associated with deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertension.ConclusionsCompared with oral spironolactone, adrenal ablation significantly lowered blood pressure and more effectively attenuated target organ damage in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats.