Aldosterone in Blood

How To Prepare

An aldosterone test is often done at the time of a routine blood test. You do not need to do anything before having routine blood tests.

If you are having follow-up aldosterone blood tests, your doctor may give you the following instructions:

• Eat foods with a normal amount of sodium (3 grams per day) for 2 weeks before the test. Do not eat foods that are very salty, such as bacon, canned soups and vegetables, olives, bouillon, soy sauce, and salty snacks like potato chips or pretzels. A low-salt diet can also increase aldosterone levels.
• Do not eat natural black licorice for 2 weeks before this test.

Many medicines may change the results of this test. Be sure to tell your doctor about all the nonprescription and prescription medicines you take. You may be asked to stop taking some medicines for 2 weeks before the test. These include hormones (such as progesterone and estrogens), corticosteroids, diuretics, and many medicines used to treat high blood pressure, especially spironolactone (Aldactone).

The amount of aldosterone in blood changes depending on whether you are standing up or lying down. If initial results show a problem, repeat tests may be done in different positions and under different conditions, such as not eating before the test or eating foods that contain a specific amount of salt. Your doctor may ask you to have your blood drawn at a certain time because aldosterone levels are highest in the early morning.

Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form (What is a PDF document?).

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated August 21, 2006
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Alan C. Dalkin, MD - Endocrinology
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