Licorice and closely related plants are perennial shrubs, the roots of which are used in medicine as well as making candies and in cooking other desserts because of the sweet taste. Through inhibition of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11-beta-HSD2), glycyrrhizin allows cortisol to activate mineralocorticoid receptors in the kidney. This severely potentiates mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated renal sodium reabsorbtion, due to much higher circulating concentrations of cortisol compared to aldosterone. This, in turn, expands the extracellular volume, increases total peripheral resistance and increases arterial blood pressure. The condition is termed pseudohyperaldosteronism.Secondary hyperaldosterone can also be caused by a genetic mutation in the kidneys which causes sodium and potassium wasting. These conditions can be referred to syndromes such as Bartter Syndrome and Gitelman Syndrome. Treatment
Treatment includes removing the causative agent (such as licorice), a high-potassium, low-sodium diet (for primary) and high-sodium diet (for secondary), spironolactone and eplerenone, potassium-sparing diuretics that act as aldosterone antagonists, and surgery, depending on the cause. Secondary hyperaldosteronism may also be treated with cox2 inhibitors which cause water retention, sodium retention and potassium retention as well as raising blood pressure. Bartter and Gitleman syndrome tend to cause low blood pressure in significant populations and treatment with blood pressure medications tend to lower the blood pressure even more. Other animals
Cats can be affected by hyperaldosteronism. The most common signs in cats are muscle weakness and loss of eyesight, although only one of these signs may be present.
Muscle weakness is due to low potassium concentrations in the blood, and signs of muscle weakness, such as being unable to jump, may be intermittent. High blood pressure causes either detachment of the retina, or blood inside the eye, which leads to loss of vision. Hyperaldosteronism caused by a tumor is treated by surgical removal of the affected adrenal gland. See also
Hypoaldosteronism
Glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism

References
External links
Primary Hyperaldosteronism Nursing Management