British joint research team successfully found and treated hypertension in 10 minutes
A new study has found that a new type of computed tomography (CT) scan can detect and remove nodules (nodules) on the adrenal glands (renal glands) to treat certain types of high blood pressure.
A joint research team, including Queen Mary University of London, UK, announced that they succeeded in treating high blood pressure caused by the secretion of too much aldosterone, a steroid hormone, by finding adrenal nodules with a new type of CT and removing them surgically. The adrenal glands are a pair of endocrine organs located above the kidneys that play an important role in maintaining life by secreting hormones.
In more than 90% of hypertension, the cause is unknown. Genetic factors (family history) are the most common, and stress, lack of exercise, smoking, obesity, aging, and salty eating habits work in combination. More than 5% of hypertensive patients have genetic mutations in the adrenal glands that secrete hormones, resulting in excessive secretion of aldosterone and high blood pressure.
Aldosterone increases blood pressure by retaining salt in the body. Hypertensive patients with high blood aldosterone levels do not respond well to conventional medications. Resistance to these drugs increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Co-author of the study, Professor Boris Brown (endocrine and hypertension) at Queen Mary University of London, said, “Aldosterone-producing nodules are very small and often overlooked in normal CT scans, but we have solved this problem with a new scan developed in-house.”
128 hypertensive patients participated in this clinical study, which was conducted after it was discovered that excessive secretion of aldosterone can cause hypertension. The team succeeded in treating 18 of 24 hypertensive patients who were found to have adrenal nodules on a new CT scan and high blood aldosterone levels on a urine test.
These patients became normal without taking antihypertensive drugs after surgery. So far, 99% of these hypertensive patients have not been treated. In the scan, a radioactive dye that sticks only to the nodules that make aldosterone is administered for a short period of time. Adrenal nodules can be found in 10 minutes.
The new CT scan shows similar accuracy to catheter (balloon catheter) scans, but is fast and painless for the patient. Until now, catheter testing has not been able to predict which hypertensive patients can be treated with arteriotomy. The research team said, “We have achieved a 60-year-old dream of a way to find aldosterone-producing nodules without the need for cumbersome catheter testing.” CT scans and urinalysis have made it easier to identify patients who can wean off blood pressure medications after surgery. The University of Glasgow, University of Birmingham, Cambridge Hospital and Barts Hospital also participated in this study.
The results of this study (Ten-minute scan enables detection and cure of the commonest cause of high blood pressure) were published in ≪Nature Medicine≫ and introduced by ‘Science Daily’, an American science portal.