A novel medication called baxdrostat has demonstrated the capacity to produce long-lasting reductions in blood pressure for patients with a specific form of hypertension, according to recent research findings. The drug works by inhibiting aldosterone synthase, an enzyme involved in producing a hormone that contributes to elevated blood pressure by causing the kidneys to retain salt.
In a small study of 14 patients, those taking baxdrostat daily for six to 12 months experienced significant improvements in blood pressure control. After discontinuing the medication, their blood pressure remained lower when checked up to two years later. Just under a quarter of the study participants were able to stop all hypertension medications entirely while maintaining normal blood pressure levels. Results from this research were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Primary aldosteronism, a condition where benign tumors on the adrenal glands cause excess hormone production, accounts for 5 to 10% of high blood pressure cases worldwide. More than a billion people globally have hypertension, including over 12 million in the UK. The standard treatment approach has been surgical removal of the affected adrenal gland, though this does not always fully resolve hypertension in patients with contributing factors.
Baxdrostat received approval in the United States earlier this year for patients whose hypertension cannot be adequately controlled with existing medications. The drug is currently undergoing assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, with potential NHS availability expected next year. Researchers theorize that the drug may eliminate cells responsible for overproducing the hormone through a cellular destruction mechanism involving reactive oxygen species. A larger clinical trial is underway to confirm whether this curative effect is broadly applicable to patients with the condition.
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