New drug reduces stubborn high blood pressure: How it works
What's the story
A new drug, baxdrostat, has been hailed as a "gamechanger" in the fight against stubbornly high blood pressure. The medication has shown promising results in clinical trials for patients whose hypertension is resistant to existing treatments. The breakthrough was revealed at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Trial results
Drug reduced blood pressure by 9-10mmHg
The BaxHTN study, which involved 796 patients from 214 clinics worldwide, found that after 12 weeks of treatment with baxdrostat, blood pressure dropped by about 9-10 mmHg more than placebo. This reduction was enough to significantly lower cardiovascular risk. About four in 10 patients taking the drug, 1mg (39.4%) or 2mg (40%) once daily in tablet form, achieved healthy blood pressure levels, compared with fewer than two in 10 (18.7%) on placebo.
Drug mechanism
How does the drug work?
Baxdrostat works by blocking aldosterone production, a hormone that regulates salt and water balance in the kidneys. Overproduction of this hormone can lead to high blood pressure and make it difficult to control. The drug directly addresses this problem, making it one of the first therapies to selectively block aldosterone production and achieve significant blood pressure reductions in patients with uncontrolled or resistant hypertension.
Global reach
Breakthrough could help half a billion people
The breakthrough comes after decades of research and could help up to half a billion people worldwide. It is especially relevant as more than 1.3 billion people globally suffer from hypertension, with half of them having uncontrolled or resistant high blood pressure. This condition puts them at a greater risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and premature death.
Scientific achievement
Triumph of scientific discovery, says lead researcher
Prof. Bryan Williams, the principal investigator of the study and chair of medicine at UCL, called baxdrostat a "triumph of scientific discovery." He said that while aldosterone is a well-known driver of hypertension, scientists have struggled to block its production for decades. Baxdrostat's selective action and meaningful BP reductions in uncontrolled or resistant hypertension make it an important addition to existing treatments for high blood pressure.