High blood pressure is a major health issue that can lead to serious problems like heart disease and stroke. It’s often compared to having too much air in a balloon, with the risk that it might burst.
For many people, the cause of their high blood pressure is unknown, and they end up needing medication for life to keep it under control.
However, a groundbreaking study by doctors from Queen Mary University of London, Barts Hospital, and Cambridge University Hospital has brought new hope. They used an innovative type of CT scan to detect tiny lumps in a gland that produces hormones.
Remarkably, removing these lumps cured high blood pressure in some patients. These lumps were found in 1 out of 20 people with high blood pressure, offering a potential solution to a long-standing problem.
For over 60 years, medical science struggled with how to effectively identify these hormone-producing lumps. Previously, a complex test was the only option, which few hospitals could perform and often failed to deliver accurate results.
But with the new scanning technique combined with a urine test, doctors were able to pinpoint patients who could potentially stop taking their blood pressure medications after treatment.
In this study, 128 patients were scanned, all of whom had high blood pressure caused by an excess of the hormone aldosterone.
The scan revealed that in two-thirds of these patients, the excess hormone was being produced by a benign lump in one of the adrenal glands, which could be safely removed.
The scanning process involved a dye called metomidate, which attaches only to the cells in the lump producing aldosterone. This dye is radioactive but considered safe for patients.
The new scan proved to be as effective as the old test but was faster, painless, and successful in every patient. Unlike previous methods, it could also identify which patients would benefit from having their gland removed.
Professor Morris Brown, a lead researcher on the study, explained that these lumps are tiny and easily missed on regular scans.
However, with their new approach, the lumps can be made to “glow” for a few minutes, revealing the precise cause of high blood pressure and offering a pathway to a cure.
This development is significant because, until now, 99% of these cases went undetected due to the difficulties and unavailability of effective testing.
Professor William Drake, another lead on the project, highlighted the dedication and hard work of the team, which spanned many years and also contributed significantly during the pandemic. He expressed optimism for the future of research in this field.
The study also builds on earlier findings by the same group, which showed that in 5% to 10% of people with high blood pressure, a genetic mutation in the adrenal glands leads to excessive production of aldosterone.
This hormone causes the body to retain more salt, thus raising blood pressure. Individuals with high levels of aldosterone do not typically respond well to standard blood pressure medications and are at greater risk for heart attacks and strokes.
Published in Nature Medicine, this study not only solves a decades-old problem but also opens the door to potentially life-changing treatments for those with high blood pressure caused by these previously undetectable lumps.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about potatoes and high blood pressure, and top 10 choices for a blood pressure-friendly diet
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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