Hypertension also known as high pressure is a medical condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high, becoming a major risk factor for contraction CVDs. Now, in a new study health experts have identified a gene mutation that likely causes a common type of hypertension. The research published in the Nature Genetics Journal also suggests a cure method that can prove to be a boon in its treatment. According to ANI, researchers noted a benign nodule to be the main cause of the condition in one out of every twenty people.
This nodule is said to produce more aldosterone in the body, a hormone that regulates salt in the body. During the research process health professionals highlighted the major cause of hypertension and also identified why people with this gene mutation often go unnoticed. It is suggested that the variation causes a protein to prevent internal cell communication resulting in abnormal salk spikes throughout the day. Experts also theorize that people with the gene mutation can go undetected if they do not undergo blood testing at different times of the day.
The recommended treatment:
The new study explains this common form of hypertension can be treated by the removal of one of the two adrenal glands by the process of unilateral adrenalectomy. Currently, hypertension is treated with prescribed drugs but following this surgery likely no other treatment method would be required. The gene mutation was first observed during the clinical trial stage when a patient with abnormal hormone fluctuation caught researchers’ attention.
Professor Morris Brown, who co-authored the study claimed they are further investigating an alternate method besides the surgical removal of the adrenal gland. “Because the aldosterone nodules in this study were so small, we are now investigating whether momentary cauterization of the nodule is an alternative to surgical removal of the whole adrenal gland,” he said.
Hypertension – An increase risk in India:
Notably, people with excessive aldosterone levels in the bloodstream are at a higher risk of contracting strokes and cardiac arrest. Health professionals advise hypertension patients to keep a regular tab on their blood pressure and receive treatment to get it under control. According to WHO, about 63% of deaths in India occur due to noncommunicable diseases, of which about 27% are caused by cardiovascular conditions. An increase in blood pressure is a common trait that often gets attributed to CVDs.
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