High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most common and dangerous health conditions in the United States. It raises the risk of heart disease and stroke—two of the leading causes of death among Americans. More than 116 million adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, and many struggle to keep it under control.
Now, scientists from the University of Virginia have made a major breakthrough in understanding what causes high blood pressure. Their new study reveals how a hidden process in our blood vessels may be behind this widespread condition. This discovery could help researchers develop better treatments with fewer side effects in the future.
Blood pressure is influenced by how blood vessels contract and relax. This function is controlled in part by smooth muscle cells that line the walls of blood vessels. These cells use calcium to help tighten or relax the vessels.
When more calcium enters the cells, the vessels become narrower, which raises blood pressure. When less calcium is used, the vessels relax and blood pressure drops.
Many people with high blood pressure take medications called calcium channel blockers. These drugs work by limiting the flow of calcium into the cells, helping the blood vessels stay more relaxed.
However, calcium plays an important role in many parts of the body—not just blood pressure. Blocking calcium too broadly can lead to side effects like dizziness, swelling, and problems with heart rhythm.
That’s why this new study is so important. The researchers found two previously unknown “signaling centers” inside smooth muscle cells. These tiny structures, called nanodomains, help control how and when calcium enters the cells. Think of them like conductors in an orchestra, guiding blood vessels to tighten or loosen at just the right time.
In healthy people, these nanodomains work together to keep blood pressure in a safe range. But the researchers discovered that in people with high blood pressure—and in mice with the condition—this balance is disturbed.
One of the signaling centers becomes too active, while the other becomes too weak. This imbalance causes the blood vessels to stay too tight, pushing blood pressure higher than it should be.
These findings give scientists a clearer picture of how high blood pressure develops at the cellular level. More importantly, they offer new ideas for treatment.
Instead of using drugs that block calcium throughout the body, future medications could target just the parts of the cell that are causing problems. This could lead to better blood pressure control with fewer unwanted effects.
The research is still in its early stages, and more studies are needed to turn these discoveries into treatments. But the potential is huge. By focusing on the root cause of high blood pressure—how calcium signals are mismanaged in the blood vessel walls—scientists may be able to create safer, more effective therapies.
This study, published in the journal Circulation, marks an exciting step forward in the fight against high blood pressure. With better understanding and targeted treatments, millions of people could one day manage their condition more safely and successfully.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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