Young Athlete With Hypertension and Hypokalemia

Abstract

We describe a 17-year-old woman diagnosed with severe hypertension during routine follow-up after the prescription of a combined oral contraceptive pill. Initially, due to her age, the estradiol-containing contraception, and high-level sport practice, physicians suspected drug-induced hypertension. Blood tests showed hypokalemia, and further investigations revealed pseudoaldosteronism. After the exclusion of toxic causes, Liddle syndrome was suspected and confirmed by genetic testing. Optimal therapeutic management was limited by anti-doping rules. This case report emphasizes the need for an early and systematic workup for causes of secondary hypertension in young patients and underlines diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the management of hypertension in athletes.

Keywords: Liddle syndrome; athletes; genetic counseling; hypertension; hypokalemia.