Brain behind high blood pressure
Sun, 15 Apr 2007 06:15:47
The brain, not the heart, is responsible for high
blood pressure, suggests a new study carried out by the
British researchers.
The scientists said that hypertension, which can lead to
heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage, is an
inflammatory vascular disease of the brain rather than
the heart, as previously thought.
They discovered that a protein located in the brain,
JAM-1, trapped white blood cells, which can then cause
inflammation and obstruct blood flow, leading to poor
oxygen supply to the brain.
Professor Julian Paton, from Bristol University, western
England, said the findings could lead to new ways of
treating the condition.
"We are looking at the possibility of treating those
patients that fail to respond to conventional therapy
for hypertension with drugs that reduce blood vessel
inflammation and increase blood flow within the brain,"
he added.
In this regard, the associate medical director of the
British Heart Foundation, Professor Jeremy Pearson,
said, "This exciting study is important because it
suggests there are unexpected causes of high blood
pressure related to blood supply to the brain."
"It therefore opens up the possibility of new ways to
treat this common, but often poorly managed condition."
