A new treatment could make managing high blood pressure much easier.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have found that giving patients with high blood pressure a single injection every six months can lead to a steady and meaningful drop in their blood pressure levels.
The study, called KARDIA-2, included 663 people from around the world. All participants had high blood pressure that wasn’t well controlled, even though they were taking standard medications. During the study, they received an injection of a new drug called zilebesiran in addition to their usual pills.
The results showed that this combination worked better than the standard medication alone. People who received the injection saw a greater drop in their blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a serious condition that affects about one in three adults in the UK. If not treated properly, it increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney problems, and even early death. This new treatment could help millions of people keep their blood pressure in a healthy range, especially those who struggle to take pills every day.
Dr Manish Saxena, one of the main researchers on the study, said that the long-lasting effects of this new drug could be a game changer. Just one injection every six months may help people better control their blood pressure, which is often difficult to manage with daily pills alone.
Zilebesiran works by using a technique called RNA interference. This means it stops the liver from making a protein called angiotensinogen, which normally raises blood pressure. By lowering the levels of this protein, the blood vessels relax and blood pressure goes down. The injection is given just under the skin, like some vaccines or insulin shots.
The research team is now looking at zilebesiran in other studies. The next phase, called KARDIA-3, will explore whether this treatment also helps people who already have heart disease or are at high risk of getting it.
Later this year, a large global study will begin to see if zilebesiran can reduce the number of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths caused by heart problems. If these results are also positive, this new treatment might become a regular option for people living with high blood pressure.
In short, this injection has the potential to change how we manage high blood pressure. Instead of remembering to take pills every day, patients could get a shot every six months and still enjoy better blood pressure control. This could make life easier and healthier for millions.
The study is published in JAMA.
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