High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the most common health problems in the world. More than 1.5 billion people are affected by it, and many do not even realize they have it.
High blood pressure greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and other serious conditions. Because of its widespread impact, scientists have long been searching for better ways to understand what causes high blood pressure and how it can be treated more effectively.
Traditionally, high blood pressure has been linked to factors such as high salt intake, excess body weight, lack of exercise, stress, and genetics.
While these factors are important, they do not fully explain why many people continue to have high blood pressure even when they follow medical advice and take standard medications. A new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital has uncovered a surprising and often overlooked contributor that may explain many of these cases.
The study points to a hormone called aldosterone. Aldosterone is produced by the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys. Its main job is to help the body control fluid balance by regulating how much sodium and potassium the kidneys keep or release.
Because sodium affects how much water stays in the bloodstream, aldosterone plays a key role in controlling blood pressure.
Problems arise when the body produces too much aldosterone. This condition is called primary aldosteronism. Excess aldosterone causes the body to hold on to too much sodium and water, which increases blood volume and raises blood pressure.
For many years, primary aldosteronism was believed to be rare and limited to people with very severe or treatment-resistant high blood pressure.
To test whether this belief was correct, researchers examined a broad group of patients with different blood pressure levels. The study included people with normal blood pressure, mild high blood pressure, more advanced stages of hypertension, and those with resistant hypertension, meaning their blood pressure stayed high despite taking multiple medications.
The results revealed a clear and consistent pattern. As blood pressure levels increased, aldosterone levels also increased. This relationship was seen across the entire range of blood pressure, not just in severe cases. Even people with early-stage hypertension often showed signs of excess aldosterone.
One of the most striking findings was that most of these cases would not have been detected under current medical guidelines. Today, doctors usually only test for aldosterone in patients with very high or hard-to-control blood pressure. This means many people may be living with aldosterone-driven hypertension without knowing it.
This discovery challenges the long-held idea that primary aldosteronism is uncommon. Instead, it suggests that excess aldosterone may be a common cause of high blood pressure affecting millions of people worldwide. Recognizing this could change how high blood pressure is diagnosed and treated.
The good news is that treatments already exist. Medications known as aldosterone antagonists can block the effects of aldosterone. These drugs are affordable, widely available, and have been used safely for many years.
By targeting the hormone directly, they can help lower blood pressure more effectively in people whose hypertension is driven by aldosterone.
The study also suggests that doctors may need to rethink current approaches to managing high blood pressure. Lifestyle changes such as reducing salt intake, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight remain important.
However, this research shows that for many people, addressing the hormonal cause of their high blood pressure may be just as important.
Other strategies, such as dietary changes, intermittent fasting, and careful home blood pressure monitoring, may also help people better understand and control their condition. When combined with more precise testing and treatment, these approaches could lead to better outcomes.
This important research, led by Dr. Jenifer M. Brown, was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It provides strong evidence that aldosterone plays a much larger role in high blood pressure than previously believed.
By identifying this hidden cause, doctors may be able to offer more personalized and effective treatment, helping people lower their blood pressure and reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
Copyright © 2026 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
