highlights
- hypertension treatment Preparing for revolutionary change, not medicine daily but two injections a year
- Review published in The Lancet opens new treatment avenues
- Medicines based on siRNA technology in final stage trials
- Blood pressure control rate is still worrying in the world including India
- Experts believe, this therapy can solve the medication adherence problem of patients.
High blood pressure i.e. hypertension is not called the “silent killer” for nothing. It keeps damaging the body internally without causing any major symptoms and can suddenly cause life-threatening conditions like heart attack, stroke or kidney failure. over the decades hypertension treatment It used to mean taking pills daily, but now medical science is at a point where there is a possibility of controlling blood pressure with just two injections in a year.
famous medical journals The Lancet A new scientific review published in has raised great hopes in this direction. According to the report, many long-acting drugs are in final stage clinical trials, which may be available in the future. hypertension treatment The entire strategy may change.
Why is a new option necessary in hypertension treatment?
Serious picture of the world and India
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or more is considered hypertension. More than 1.4 billion people worldwide are affected by it. The worrying thing is that about 44 percent people do not even know that they are suffering from this disease.
The ICMR-INDIAB 2023 study in India suggests that more than 31.5 crore people are hypertensive patients. Despite this, even after diagnosis, very few people are able to keep their blood pressure at a controlled level. This is why hypertension treatment The need for new and easier options is being felt.
How does the new therapy work?
siRNA technology will change hypertension treatment
The leading drug is Zilebesiran, which is being jointly developed by Roche and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. This medicine is based on small interfering RNA i.e. siRNA technology.
What does this technology do?
- These are made in the liver Angiotensinogen suppresses protein
- This protein is involved in the main biological process of increasing blood pressure.
- A subcutaneous injection can keep systolic blood pressure low for about 6 months.
Currently this medicine is in Phase-3 clinical trial. Mid-stage trial results, some of which New England Journal of Medicine have also been published, show that this medicine can show lasting effects for a long time. Experts believe that this hypertension treatment Could prove to be a game changer.
Other new medicines also in the race
Direct effect on inflammation and hormones
Not only zilbesarin, but many other medicines are also being developed.
Ziltivekimab
This medicine from Novo Nordisk targets the processes related to inflammation in the body. Inflammation has long been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Focus on Aldosterone
Some research is working on more precise control of aldosterone hormone. This hormone controls the balance of salt and water in the body and has a direct effect on blood pressure. The purpose of all these efforts hypertension treatment To make it more effective and easier.
Will the injections be safe and affordable?
Safety and price are the biggest questions
The safety profile of these injection-based therapies has been satisfactory in initial trials. Serious side effects have been seen rarely. However, experts caution that hypertension is a lifelong disease, so large-scale data on the long-term efficacy and safety of these drugs will be needed.
The second big question is cost. Generally long-acting and biotech based medicines are expensive. In low- and middle-income countries like India, where hypertension rates are very high, hypertension treatment It will be important to see how economical this new method will be.
Doctors’ opinion: both hope and caution
“This is not just a medicine to reduce numbers”
Renowned cardiologist Dr. Amit Raj says,
“These new drugs are not limited to just lowering blood pressure figures, but target the underlying biological cause of the disease. If the long-term data is positive, then taking injections twice a year hypertension treatment “Can become a practical and effective alternative.”
He believes that forgetting to take medicine daily is the biggest problem of hypertension control. Injection therapy can eliminate this obstacle to a great extent.
Why are patients troubled by daily pills?
Pill Fatigue and Side Effects
According to current guidelines, hypertension patients are often given a combination of ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics.
These medicines have proven effective in clinical trials, but in real life the situation is different.
- Patients also struggle with problems like diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.
- Taking multiple medications simultaneously increases fatigue and side effects
This is the gap that Naya is trying to fill. hypertension treatment Model.
What is the way forward?
Hypertension treatment on the threshold of revolution
The therapy consisting of two injections a year is still in the testing phase. But if it proves to be safe, effective and economical, a historic change in the treatment of hypertension is possible. This will not only reduce the hassle of patients taking medicines, but can also reduce the risk of fatal diseases like heart attack and stroke.
However, experts clearly say that until these medicines are fully approved, daily medicines prescribed by the doctor, balanced diet, regular exercise and periodic check-ups should not be ignored. For now, this hypertension treatment Is the most reliable method.
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