A Shot May Replace Blood Pressure Pills
Could people one day be vaccinated against high blood pressure just as they are now against infectious diseases? USA Today reports that a Swiss biotech company called Cytos says yes.
The company is working on a vaccine to treat high blood pressure by tricking the body into attacking a key hormone as if it were a foreign invader. The vaccine homes in on angiotensin II, “a powerful hormone that acts like a blood pressure switch,” explains USAT.
Cytos is working on a synthetic form of the protein that will spur the body’s antibodies to attack the real thing. When antibodies bind to angiotensin II, it can’t constrict blood vessels and raise blood pressure. Some hypertension medications, such as Merck’s Cozaar and Norvatis’ Diovan already target angiotensin II by blocking receptors for it, while other drugs called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, block production of the hormone.
The inoculation strategy, which the company says is showing promise in humans, is already sparking debate among doctors. Skeptics are worried that blocking the hormone would cause unintended side effects or disrupt other important bodily functions like sleep. They also point out that high blood pressure is caused by more than just angiotensin II.
“There’s no question that […]
Read more this great post here
