High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a serious health problem that affects over 116 million adults in the United States. It can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other major illnesses. In 2020 alone, high blood pressure was linked to more than 670,000 deaths in the U.S. alone.
Even though it is very common, many people still have a hard time keeping their blood pressure at a healthy level. But now, scientists at the University of Virginia have made a discovery that could change how we treat high blood pressure in the future.
The researchers found a new biological process that helps explain how the body controls blood pressure. This could lead to better treatments that have fewer side effects.
Blood pressure is partly controlled by the smooth muscle cells that line our blood vessels. These cells use calcium to tighten (contract) or relax the blood vessels. When the blood vessels are tight, it becomes harder for blood to flow, and blood pressure goes up.
Right now, many people with high blood pressure take medicines called calcium channel blockers. These drugs lower the amount of calcium that enters the smooth muscle cells.
That helps the vessels relax and reduces blood pressure. However, calcium is also important for many other things in the body. Because of that, these drugs can cause side effects like dizziness, tiredness, and swelling.
The scientists at the University of Virginia discovered something new inside the smooth muscle cells. They found two very small areas that they call “nanodomains.” These tiny spots act like control centers. They help manage the calcium signals that tell the blood vessels when to tighten or relax.
In people with normal blood pressure, these nanodomains help the blood vessels stay in balance. The vessels tighten and relax as needed, which helps keep blood pressure at a healthy level.
But in people with high blood pressure, this balance is broken. The signals that tell the vessels to tighten become too strong, and the signals to relax become too weak. That makes the blood vessels stay tight for too long, raising the blood pressure.
This discovery is exciting because it could lead to new kinds of treatments. Instead of using medicines that affect calcium throughout the whole body, doctors might one day be able to use drugs that only target these special nanodomains. That way, the treatment could focus just on the blood pressure problem, without causing side effects in other parts of the body.
There is still more to learn. Scientists need to do more studies to fully understand how these nanodomains work and how to create drugs that can safely target them. But this research is a big step forward. It brings doctors and scientists closer to solving the real causes of high blood pressure—not just treating the symptoms.
For the millions of people who live with hypertension, this offers hope. More precise treatments could lead to better health, fewer side effects, and a lower risk of serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes.
This discovery may one day make a big difference in the fight against one of the most common and dangerous conditions in the world.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about blood pressure drug that may increase risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and these teas could help reduce high blood pressure.
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