A major medical breakthrough tackling high blood pressure is being tipped to save millions of lives, it has been reported.
A new jab could replace the daily drugs that keep the “silent killer” in control.
New jab set to tackle high blood pressure
A major breakthrough has been made for millions of people who suffer from high blood pressure, it has been reported.
British experts are trialing a world-first jab that could be used to control the “silent killer”- which causes heart attacks and strokes.
The jab could even replace the daily drugs people take to control the condition.
At the moment, millions of Brits are taking pills on a daily basis to keep their blood pressure in order.
However, experts at Queen Mary University, London, have been carrying out a trial involving an injection that could be given once every six months.
Medical breakthrough for those suffering with high blood pressure
The medication is known as Zilebesiran. It’s made by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, which is based in the US.
The medication works by targeting a key hormone produced by the liver. Zilebesiran prevents the production of angiotensin. This is a hormone that narrows blood vessels. This is what causes blood pressure to rise.
To test out the jab, researchers recruited 107 patients with hypertension. 80 of the 107 were given the jab with zilebersiran in it. However, the others were given a placebo.
According to MailOnline, the analysis showed that those who had the jab then experienced a significant drop in their blood pressure. This drop lasted up to six months.
Jab indicates medical breakthrough
High blood pressure is difficult to treat due to its fluctuations across a day. However, the zilebesiran medication resulted in a consistent drop over 24 hours. The research group then reported on their findings.
“Overall, these preliminary data… support the potential for further study of quarterly or twice-yearly administration of zilebesiran as a treatment for patients with hypertension,” they then said.
“This is a potentially major development in hypertension. There has not been a new class of drug licensed for the treatment of high blood pressure in the last 17 years,” Professor David Webb – who led the research – then said.
“This novel approach leads to a substantial reduction in blood pressure, both by day and night, that lasts for around six months after a single injection,” he then added.
12 million people are believed to suffer from the condition in the UK. However, the new jab could then help many of them.
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