Hypertension: two injections a year to replace daily pills?

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Hypertension two injections a year to replace daily pills

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    Two injections a year against hypertension instead of daily pills? This is the drug recently tested at Queen Mary University of London. It could revolutionize the lives of millions of patients.

    This is a big first. Early trials by Queen Mary University of London and the Barts Health NHS Trust show that an experimental high blood pressure drug could soon replace daily pills. Administered in the form of a six-monthly injection, it would greatly improve the daily lives of patients.

    A single injection given twice a year

    Arterial hypertension is a frequent cardiovascular pathology: in France, one in three adults is affected. To fight against the disease, ACE inhibitors (Altace, Capoten, Vasotec, Monopril, etc.) are generally prescribed. The problem ? They should be taken every day at a regular time. A very restrictive treatment, which leads to problems of compliance and therefore of the effectiveness of the treatment.

    But these daily pills could soon be replaced by a new type of injectable drug: “Zilebesiran”.

    Made by biopharmaceutical company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, this treatment targets a protein called angiotensinogen, produced by the liver and involved in regulating blood pressure. Put simply, it works by reducing the hormone that causes vasoconstriction. Given only twice a year, it could permanently replace taking daily pills.

    630 patients tested

    While a first trial has already proved conclusive, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is still studying the effects of the treatment. The current study aims to examine the “safety of injections and their effectiveness” in patients with mild to moderate hypertension. A total of 630 patients will be analyzed.

    “We are excited to test this unique research approach (…). We are only at the beginning, but our ultimate hope is that the treatment will prove to be a practical, safe and more manageable solution to combat high blood pressure.“said Dr. Manish Saxena, Study Leader and Deputy Clinical Director at QMUL.

    The six-monthly salary would constitute, according to the experts, “a better alternative to daily medication“. Good news for all patients.

    Consult a cardiologist online

    High blood pressure: the causes

    Arterial hypertension corresponds to an excessive increase in pressure in the arteries, an increase which persists over time. It is the most common chronic disease in the world. In the majority of cases, the origin of hypertension is not identified, but it is favored by risk factors:

    • Too much salt intake;
    • Age (with aging, the walls of the arteries become less flexible);
    • The stress ;
    • Menopause ;
    • Heavy consumption of alcohol;
    • Excessive sedentary lifestyle;
    • Blood cholesterol abnormalities;
    • Heredity (the risk is higher if family members have had or have high blood pressure);
    • Kidney dysfunction;
    • The tobacco ;
    • Overweight or obesity.

    More rarely, arterial hypertension is due to dysfunction of the kidneys or adrenal glands, taking certain medications (corticosteroids, antidepressants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, nasal vasoconstrictors of prolonged use, estrogens, etc.), ingestion of drugs or sleep apnea syndrome in obese people.

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