High blood pressure affects millions of people across the globe.
While daily medication helps many manage this condition, a common issue is simply forgetting to take the pills every day.
In fact, more than half of people with high blood pressure struggle to remember their medication.
When blood pressure is not managed properly, it increases the risk of serious health problems like strokes, heart attacks, and even early death. So, finding an easier way to control it is very important.
A new drug called zilebesiran may offer a better solution. Scientists from the University of Edinburgh and other institutions have been studying this new medicine. What makes zilebesiran special is that just one injection could help lower blood pressure for up to six months. This could mean no more daily pills for some patients.
In a study conducted in the UK, people who received zilebesiran had a big drop in their blood pressure, especially the top number known as systolic pressure. This number shows how hard the heart is working to pump blood.
Depending on the dose, some people had their blood pressure drop by over 10 or even 20 points (mmHg). This could help bring their blood pressure into a healthier range and lower the risk of serious problems.
Zilebesiran works differently from current blood pressure drugs. It is made by a company in the U.S. called Alnylam. This medicine targets a hormone called angiotensin, which causes blood vessels to tighten.
This tightening raises blood pressure. Zilebesiran stops the body from making a protein called angiotensinogen, which is the first step in making the hormone. By blocking the gene that makes this protein, zilebesiran helps blood vessels stay relaxed and open. This helps lower blood pressure.
In the early study, 107 people with high blood pressure took part. Out of those, 80 people received the zilebesiran shot, and the others got a placebo, which is a fake treatment with no real medicine.
The results were promising, but scientists say more research is needed to make sure the drug is safe over the long term. They want to test it in larger groups of people to make sure there are no unexpected side effects.
Professor David Webb from the University of Edinburgh said this drug could be a big breakthrough. He explained that there hasn’t been a new type of blood pressure drug in 17 years, and this one could help people stick to their treatment.
The next step is to study the drug further to check how safe and effective it really is before it can be approved for public use.
If future research proves that zilebesiran works well and is safe, it could change how we treat high blood pressure. For people who have trouble remembering their daily pills, a long-lasting injection could be much easier. This could lead to better blood pressure control and fewer serious health risks.
Besides new treatments like zilebesiran, people should also think about lifestyle changes. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and reducing salt in meals can all help lower blood pressure. Some studies also show that small habits, like eating certain foods, may help.
Zilebesiran could be a helpful new option for people living with high blood pressure. However, it’s important to wait for more studies to confirm its long-term safety. If you’d like to learn more, the study results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies that new research challenges conventional blood pressure guidelines and scientists make a big breakthrough in high blood pressure treatment.
For more about blood pressure, please read studies that widely used blood pressure drug may increase eye disease risk and common blood pressure drugs linked to cognitive decline.
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