A single dose of the jab, called zilebesiran, can control the condition for up to six months, with few side effects. Some people could even stop taking all blood pressure medication
A biannual injection that “switches off” high blood pressure could soon make daily pills a thing of the past.
A single dose of the drug, known as zilebesiran, can manage the condition for up to six months, with minimal side effects. The majority of patients experienced a drop in blood pressure after one jab, equating to a 20 per cent or more decrease in the risk of experiencing a heart attack, stroke or other cardiac event.
Some people could even stop taking all blood pressure medication. Medical professionals suggest that these injections could be self-administered, similar to diabetes drugs. This development, announced at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia, was warmly received by cardiologists in 2023.
Despite the study only involving a few hundred patients, the data was celebrated as a significant change in hypertension treatment. High blood pressure is accountable for half of all heart attacks and strokes.
Prof George Bakris, who participated in the trials, said the prospect of swapping daily tablets for two injections a year had patients “standing in line” for the drug.
“If this lives up to its promise, it will represent a huge shift in treatment,” he stated, advocating for larger trials. High blood pressure affects 14.4 million people in the UK – a quarter of British adults.
