How do I install the Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add dromlakhani/esa-pa-skip-confirmatory-testing in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing free to use?

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Who published Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing?

dromlakhani (@dromlakhani) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing by dromlakhani

Name: Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: dromlakhani

Esa Pa Skip Confirmatory Testing

This skill determines whether confirmatory testing can be omitted after a positive aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) in patients with suspected primary aldosteronism. It is applied when a patient exhibits spontaneous hypokalemia, undetectable renin, and a plasma aldosterone concentration ≥20 ng/dL (550 pmol/L).

dromlakhani Updated Sep 8, 2026 10 repo stars

File contents

Determine When to Skip Confirmatory Testing for PA

STEP 1 — Gather Information

Confirm a positive ARR; assess serum potassium for spontaneous hypokalemia (K⁺ <3.5 mmol/L without diuretic cause); measure plasma renin activity (or direct renin concentration) to verify undetectable levels (< assay detection limit); obtain plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC).

STEP 2 — Rule In / Rule Out

Is the patient spontaneously hypokalemic AND renin undetectable AND PAC ≥20 ng/dL (550 pmol/L)?

Yes → proceed to Step 3 (skip confirmatory testing).
No → proceed to Step 3 (perform confirmatory testing).

STEP 3 — Classify or Stratify

If criteria met: classify as high‑confidence PA (can move directly to subtype testing).
If criteria not met: classify as indeterminate PA (requires confirmatory testing to confirm/exclude diagnosis).

STEP 4 — Decide

For high‑confidence PA: skip confirmatory testing; advance to adrenal CT for subtype evaluation.
For indeterminate PA: perform a confirmatory test (e.g., saline infusion test, fludrocortisone suppression test, captopril challenge test, or furosemide upright test) per guideline recommendations.

Clinical Guardrails / Mimics / Pitfalls

Do not mislabel diuretic‑induced hypokalemia as spontaneous; ensure renin assay sensitivity is adequate to detect low levels. Avoid skipping confirmatory testing in patients with severe uncontrolled hypertension, renal insufficiency, or recent mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use without adequate washout, as these increase false‑positive risk. Remember that skipping testing raises the chance of misdiagnosing bilateral adrenal hyperplasia as unilateral disease.

Concrete Clinical Example

A 48‑year‑old hypertensive patient presents with spontaneous hypokalemia (K⁺ 3.0 mmol/L), undetectable renin (<0.1 ng/mL/h), PAC 24 ng/dL, and a positive ARR. Criteria are met, so confirmatory testing is skipped; the patient proceeds directly to adrenal CT, which shows a 1.2 cm left adrenal nodule, leading to laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Source: The Management of Primary Aldosteronism: Case Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline, Endocrine Society, 2016, DOI:10.1210/jc.2015-4061

---name: esa-pa-skip-confirmatory-testingdescription: This skill determines whether confirmatory testing can be omitted after a positive aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) in patients with suspected primary aldosteronism. It is applied when a patient exhibits spontaneous hypokalemia, undetectable renin, and a plasma aldosterone concentration ≥20 ng/dL (550 pmol/L).---# Determine When to Skip Confirmatory Testing for PA## STEP 1 — Gather InformationConfirm a positive ARR; assess serum potassium for spontaneous hypokalemia (K⁺ <3.5 mmol/L without diuretic cause); measure plasma renin activity (or direct renin concentration) to verify undetectable levels (< assay detection limit); obtain plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC).## STEP 2 — Rule In / Rule OutIs the patient spontaneously hypokalemic **AND** renin undetectable **AND** PAC ≥20 ng/dL (550 pmol/L)? - **Yes** → proceed to Step 3 (skip confirmatory testing). - **No** → proceed to Step 3 (perform confirmatory testing).## STEP 3 — Classify or StratifyIf criteria met: classify as **high‑confidence PA** (can move directly to subtype testing). If criteria not met: classify as **indeterminate PA** (requires confirmatory testing to confirm/exclude diagnosis).## STEP 4 — Decide- For high‑confidence PA: skip confirmatory testing; advance to adrenal CT for subtype evaluation. - For indeterminate PA: perform a confirmatory test (e.g., saline infusion test, fludrocortisone suppression test, captopril challenge test, or furosemide upright test) per guideline recommendations.## Clinical Guardrails / Mimics / PitfallsDo not mislabel diuretic‑induced hypokalemia as spontaneous; ensure renin assay sensitivity is adequate to detect low levels. Avoid skipping confirmatory testing in patients with severe uncontrolled hypertension, renal insufficiency, or recent mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use without adequate washout, as these increase false‑positive risk. Remember that skipping testing raises the chance of misdiagnosing bilateral adrenal hyperplasia as unilateral disease.## Concrete Clinical ExampleA 48‑year‑old hypertensive patient presents with spontaneous hypokalemia (K⁺ 3.0 mmol/L), undetectable renin (<0.1 ng/mL/h), PAC 24 ng/dL, and a positive ARR. Criteria are met, so confirmatory testing is skipped; the patient proceeds directly to adrenal CT, which shows a 1.2 cm left adrenal nodule, leading to laparoscopic adrenalectomy.**Source:** The Management of Primary Aldosteronism: Case Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline, Endocrine Society, 2016, DOI:10.1210/jc.2015-4061

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