High blood pressure is one of the most common health problems in the world. In the United States alone, nearly half of adults have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
Many people can control it with medication, healthier eating, exercise, and other lifestyle changes. However, not everyone responds well to these treatments. Some patients continue to have dangerously high blood pressure even after taking several medications.
This condition is known as resistant hypertension, and it can greatly increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and early death.
Now, researchers at Penn State have developed a promising new technology that may offer another option for these patients. The new device is a soft, flexible implant that gently stimulates a major artery in the neck using tiny electrical signals.
In early animal studies, the device significantly lowered blood pressure while causing very little damage to surrounding tissue.
The research was recently published in the journal Device.
Scientists have been exploring bioelectronic medicine for years. Unlike traditional medicines that use chemicals to change how the body works, bioelectronic devices use small electrical signals to influence the body’s natural systems.
Researchers believe this approach could help treat a wide range of conditions, including chronic pain, heart disease, and neurological disorders.
The Penn State team focused on a natural system called the baroreflex. This system helps the body automatically regulate blood pressure throughout the day. Special sensors known as baroreceptors are located inside blood vessel walls. These sensors constantly monitor how much the blood vessels stretch as blood flows through them.
One of the most important groups of baroreceptors is found in a small area called the carotid sinus. This area is located where the carotid artery branches in the neck. The carotid arteries play a critical role because they carry oxygen-rich blood to the brain, face, and other important parts of the body.
When blood pressure rises, baroreceptors send signals to the brain, which then tells the body to lower blood pressure. Scientists have known for some time that electrically stimulating these receptors can activate this natural response and help reduce hypertension.
Some devices that do this already exist, but they have important drawbacks. Most are made from rigid materials such as metal and plastic. Human tissues, however, are soft and constantly moving.
Arteries stretch and contract with every heartbeat. Over time, rigid devices can irritate tissues, cause inflammation, and sometimes damage both the implant and the surrounding area. They are often attached using stitches, which can create additional problems.
To overcome these challenges, the Penn State researchers created a new device called CaroFlex. Instead of using rigid materials, they built it mainly from hydrogels. Hydrogels are soft, jelly-like substances that can closely match the feel and flexibility of human tissues.
Some parts of the hydrogel conduct electricity, allowing the device to deliver gentle electrical stimulation. Other parts act as an adhesive, helping the device stick securely to tissue without the need for traditional stitches.
Laboratory tests showed that CaroFlex could stretch to more than twice its original size before breaking. The adhesive remained strong and effective even after being stored for six months. This suggests the device could potentially withstand the constant movement of arteries over long periods.
The researchers also compared CaroFlex with traditional platinum-based electrodes. They found that the soft device created a closer connection with biological tissue and provided more reliable electrical performance.
The most important tests involved living animals. The team implanted CaroFlex around the carotid sinus in rats and monitored their blood pressure.
The results were encouraging. Four of the five electrical stimulation settings tested reduced blood pressure by more than 15% on average. After two weeks, the surrounding tissue appeared healthy, with no obvious signs of damage, inflammation, or immune system reactions.
These findings suggest that soft bioelectronic devices may provide a safer and more comfortable way to treat resistant hypertension in the future.
The ability to lower blood pressure without increasing medication doses could be especially valuable for patients who experience side effects from drugs or whose blood pressure remains uncontrolled despite treatment.
However, the research is still in its early stages. The device has only been tested in animals so far. Before it can be used in people, researchers will need to improve the technology further and conduct larger studies to confirm its safety and effectiveness. Human clinical trials will be required before doctors can consider using the device in routine medical care.
Overall, this study represents an exciting step forward in the field of bioelectronic medicine. The use of soft, tissue-friendly materials addresses a major limitation of existing implants and could open the door to new treatments for many chronic diseases.
The findings are especially promising because they show that blood pressure can be reduced significantly while avoiding the tissue damage often associated with rigid implants. Although more research is needed, CaroFlex may one day provide a new treatment option for millions of people living with difficult-to-control high blood pressure.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and drinking green tea could help lower blood pressure.
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about what to eat or to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
Source: Penn State.
