What does aldosterone do in CHF patients?

The hormone aldosterone contributes to many conditions that can worsen a congestive heart failure patient’s condition, such as:

• retaining sodium and shedding magnesium and potassium;

• activating the sympathetic nervous system;

• inhibiting the parasympathetic nervous system;

• promoting fibrosis in the heart muscle and vessels as well as other vascular damage;

• dysfunctioning of baroreceptors.

Source: RALES report, The New England Journal of Medicine.