Do you know someone struggling with high blood pressure? Chances are you do. This common health problem, also known as hypertension, affects a lot of people worldwide.
There’s been a big breakthrough from scientists that could change the lives of many people dealing with high blood pressure.
A research team from Queen Mary University of London and other institutions discovered a new type of body scan that could treat high blood pressure by finding and removing tiny lumps in a hormone gland.
Understanding High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure means the force of the blood against your artery walls is too high. When it stays high over time, it can lead to heart disease and other health problems.
High blood pressure often has no symptoms, which is why it’s known as the “silent killer.”
You could have it for years without knowing, and during that time, it can damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.
Doctors usually treat high blood pressure with lifestyle changes and medicines.
But these treatments don’t work for everyone, and some people continue to have high blood pressure despite their best efforts. This is where the new super scan comes in.
The Amazing Super Scan
In the past, doctors had a tough time finding out if high blood pressure was caused by small lumps in the hormone gland, called nodules.
These nodules produce a hormone called aldosterone that can raise blood pressure. They are found in 1 in 20 people with high blood pressure.
To find these nodules, doctors used to perform a difficult catheter test. This test was only available in a few hospitals, and it often didn’t work. But the new scan is a game-changer.
The study team performed the scan on 128 people. These people had high blood pressure because of too much aldosterone.
The scan showed that in two thirds of these people, the extra hormone came from a small nodule in one of their adrenal glands, the hormone gland located on top of each kidney.
What makes this scan super? It uses a radioactive dye that sticks only to the nodule making too much aldosterone.
The dye lights up the nodule for a few minutes, making it easy to see on the scan. And best of all, the scan is quick, painless, and works every time.
Treating High Blood Pressure
Here’s where it gets even better: once doctors find these nodules, they can safely remove them.
And when combined with a simple urine test, this scan can even tell which patients can stop taking all their blood pressure medicines after treatment.
Out of 24 patients who achieved normal blood pressure after treatment, the scan and urine test correctly identified 18.
That’s a big deal because until now, no other test could predict who would be completely cured of high blood pressure by removing the gland.
Until now, 99% of people with these nodules are never diagnosed because the tests are too difficult and not widely available. But this super scan could change everything.
What’s Next?
If you’re interested in high blood pressure, you might also want to read up on how drinking tea could help lower it. You might also be interested to know that eating earlier in the day could help improve blood pressure.
High blood pressure also makes you more likely to get seriously sick from COVID-19. There’s also research showing that a common cause of high blood pressure is often ignored.
This new super scan is a major breakthrough in treating high blood pressure. It gives hope to people who haven’t found success with other treatments. And hopefully, this scan will soon be available to everyone who needs it.
The study was led by Professor Morris Brown and published in the prestigious journal, Nature Medicine.
But remember, while this is an exciting breakthrough, always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about a common cause of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and tea compounds that could reduce your blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about how to keep high blood pressure in check, and results showing these people more likely to have uncontrolled high blood pressure.
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