Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition where the force of the blood flowing through the blood vessels is consistently too high. Blood pressure is measured using systolic pressure (the top number) and diastolic pressure (the bottom number). A normal blood pressure reading is around 120/80 mmHg.
Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure readings are consistently above 130/80 mmHg. It is often called a "silent killer" because it can cause damage to your blood vessels and organs without any apparent symptoms. Hypertension can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Treatment-resistant hypertension (TRH) is a medical condition in which a person's blood pressure remains above the target level despite treatment with multiple medications. TRH is typically defined as blood pressure that remains elevated despite using at least three different classes of antihypertensive drugs, including a diuretic. A diuretic is a medication or substance that promotes urine production and helps the body get rid of excess water and salt. TRH may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Therefore, managing TRH is crucial to reducing cardiovascular and other complications risk.
In a phase 2 clinical trial, researchers investigated a new drug called baxdrostat that targets a specific enzyme called aldosterone synthase. This enzyme plays a role in regulating blood pressure, and inhibiting it can help treat hypertension. Previous drugs targeting aldosterone synthase also affected another enzyme that produced cortisol, a hormone necessary for survival.