High blood pressure is a common health issue that affects many people. Right now, the main way to manage it is by taking pills every day. But many people forget to take their medication, and this can make it hard to keep their blood pressure under control.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure raises the risk of serious problems like strokes, heart attacks, and even early death. That’s why scientists are looking for easier and more effective ways to treat it.
A new drug called zilebesiran could be a game-changer. Researchers from several places, including the University of Edinburgh, have tested this drug, and the results are promising. Just one injection of zilebesiran could lower blood pressure for up to six months.
In tests done in the UK, people who got the shot saw a big drop in their systolic blood pressure. This is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. A 200mg dose lowered it by more than 10 mmHg, and an 800mg dose lowered it by more than 20 mmHg. This kind of drop can move someone’s blood pressure into a much safer zone.
Zilebesiran is made by a U.S. company called Alnylam. It works by stopping the body from making a hormone called angiotensin. This hormone tightens blood vessels, which raises blood pressure.
Zilebesiran stops this process at the source—by going to the liver and blocking the gene that makes a protein called angiotensinogen, which is needed to make angiotensin.
In the study, 107 people with high blood pressure took part. Out of them, 80 received a single shot of zilebesiran, while the rest got a placebo, which is a fake treatment.
The researchers now want to do more tests to make sure the drug is safe and works well over the long term.
Professor David Webb from the University of Edinburgh said this could be a big breakthrough. He pointed out that it’s been 17 years since a new type of blood pressure drug was introduced.
This new drug could help people stick to their treatment since it only needs to be given twice a year. The next step is to test its safety and how well it works before it can be approved for general use.
If these results hold up in future studies, zilebesiran could become a simple and reliable way for people to manage high blood pressure.
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