Australian scientists work on new hypertension therapies
8 May 2001
Scientists at Melbourne’s Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research are currently working on new treatment therapies for hypertension (high blood pressure).
This research is crucial as cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australia, and hypertension is a contributing factor to heart and vascular problems, such as heart attack.
Blocking the action of 2 hormones involved in blood pressure control, aldosterone and cortisol, may lead to new treatment therapies for hypertension, and it is these hormones that researchers are working to understand.
Adrenal steroid hormones regulate blood pressure through their effects on salt (sodium) retention. Because most known genetic causes of hypertension involve mutations of sodium transport in the body, the researchers are now focusing on the adrenal hormones, aldosterone and cortisol, with a view to developing new types of blood pressure therapies.
Aldosterone acts on the failing heart to cause cardiac fibrosis (scarring). Recent studies have shown that blocking aldosterone leads to a dramatic increase in the survival rate of people who have suffered heart failure.
‘Once we determine how aldosterone and cortisol bind to receptors and act, we can develop receptor-blocking drugs for treatment in hypertension, cardiac fibrosis and recovery after heart failure,’ said Dr Fraser Rogerson, who leads research in this field.
The Institute’s ongoing research into understanding the processes of these hormones is an important step in developing therapies for these heart conditions.
Last Reviewed: 09 May 2001
