Feeling tired or stressed is often blamed for high blood pressure, but a hidden condition called primary aldosteronism may be the real reason for some people.
It’s caused by tiny, non-cancerous lumps in the adrenal glands that produce too much of a hormone called aldosterone.
This hormone tells the body to hold onto salt, which raises blood pressure and increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney damage.
In the UK, doctors have now developed a new non-surgical treatment called Targeted Thermal Therapy, or Triple T, that could change how we treat this condition.
Unlike surgery, which removes the whole adrenal gland, Triple T uses heat to destroy only the small lump that causes the problem—leaving the rest of the gland intact. The entire procedure takes just 20 minutes and doesn’t require any cuts or long recovery time.
This new method is simple, fast, and safe. Doctors use a thin tube with a camera called an endoscope that goes down the throat into the stomach. From there, they guide a small needle into the adrenal gland and deliver a short burst of heat to kill the overactive lump. Patients don’t need general anesthesia or a hospital stay.
Triple T was tested in a study published in The Lancet. It was led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and University College London, in partnership with Cambridge hospitals.
In the trial, called the FABULAS study, 28 people with primary aldosteronism were treated with Triple T. After six months, most of them had normal hormone levels, and many no longer needed medicine for high blood pressure.
One patient, Michelina Alfieri, had suffered from terrible headaches for years. But after the Triple T treatment, she felt better right away and returned to her normal life almost immediately.
What made this treatment possible is a new type of scan that uses special dyes to help doctors see the tiny lumps in the adrenal glands. This allows them to guide the needle exactly where it needs to go, making the treatment safer and more accurate.
Primary aldosteronism may affect about one in twenty people with high blood pressure, but less than 1% of them are ever diagnosed. That’s because the condition has no clear symptoms.
Many people only find out after serious health problems appear. Until now, the only cure was surgery, which isn’t always an option for everyone. Triple T could become a much easier and more common way to treat this hidden condition.
Because the early results were promising, a larger study called WAVE is now underway and will compare Triple T with traditional surgery. Results are expected in 2027. If successful, this could change the way high blood pressure is treated around the world.
Professor Morris Brown, one of the lead researchers, said this treatment could finally help diagnose and cure many people with this hidden condition. Another expert, Professor Mark Gurnell, added that early diagnosis and better treatment can reduce the need for long-term medication and lower the chances of heart and kidney disease.
Triple T offers hope to millions of people who may not know they have primary aldosteronism. With more research on the way, this simple and safe treatment may become a powerful tool in fighting one of the world’s most common health problems.
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