People living with obesity often face several health problems at the same time. High blood pressure, high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and heart disease frequently occur together. Another hidden problem is stiff arteries.
Normally, arteries stretch easily as blood flows through them. When they become stiff, blood pressure rises and the heart has to pump harder. Over time, this increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease.
Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discovered that a well-known blood pressure medicine called amiloride may help improve several of these problems at once. Their findings suggest the medicine could become a simple new option for protecting the heart in people with obesity.
Amiloride has been prescribed for decades to treat high blood pressure. It belongs to a group of medicines that help the body hold on to potassium while removing excess salt and water.
Potassium is essential for normal muscle function, healthy nerves, and a steady heartbeat. Scientists have also found that potassium may help blood vessels relax and may improve the body’s ability to control blood sugar.
To test whether amiloride could improve artery health, the research team enrolled 116 adults with obesity and insulin resistance in a Phase II clinical trial. They measured blood pressure, blood sugar, potassium levels, and arterial stiffness before and after treatment.
The results were positive. Participants taking amiloride had lower blood pressure, healthier blood sugar levels, and more flexible arteries. Older adults appeared to benefit the most, although the researchers say more studies are needed to understand why. It may simply be because older people often start with more severe health problems.
One interesting finding was that the medicine probably did not repair damaged artery walls directly. Instead, lowering blood pressure appeared to reduce the stress placed on the arteries, allowing them to function more normally.
Even this indirect improvement could have important health benefits because lower arterial stiffness is linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Safety was another encouraging result. The researchers did not observe any serious adverse events during the study. Since amiloride has already been approved for treating high blood pressure, doctors are already familiar with how to prescribe and monitor it.
Dr. Camila Manrique-Acevedo, who led the research, believes these findings show that an existing medicine may have valuable new uses. Reusing approved medicines can often save years of research because their safety has already been carefully studied.
Still, this research should not be seen as proof that everyone with obesity should start taking amiloride.
The trial was relatively small, and participants were followed for a limited period. Scientists still need larger clinical trials to learn whether the improvements in blood pressure and artery flexibility will translate into fewer heart attacks, strokes, and deaths over many years.
The study, titled “ENaC blockade reduces blood pressure and arterial stiffness in adults with obesity and insulin resistance,” was published in the American Journal of Physiology.
Overall, the research offers promising early evidence that a familiar, low-cost medicine may help reduce some of the dangerous effects of obesity on the heart and blood vessels.
Although more research is essential before treatment guidelines change, the findings represent an important step toward finding better ways to protect cardiovascular health in people at high risk.
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Source: University of Missouri.
