FRESH HOPE
Transformative new ‘TTT’ treatment could cure ‘silent killer’ in half a million Brits in just 20 minutes
'I thought I could be battling with high blood pressure for the rest of my life and now it’s not a problem,' one patient says
HALF a million Brits with deadly high blood pressure could be cured by a transformative new treatment.
Doctors from the UK have developed a way to zap tiny nodules that cause salt buildup in the body, which raises the risk of the 'silent killer'.
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Around one in four UK adults have high blood pressure - about 13 million people - but up to five million don’t even know it.
This is because high blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms so is often missed.
It's responsible for half of all strokes and is a major risk factor for heart disease, kidney disease and vascular dementia
This breakthrough could help those with primary aldosteronism, which drives about one in 20 cases - affecting around 650,000 people - avoid surgery or lifelong meds.
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This condition stems from nodules on the adrenal glands, which pump out excess aldosterone, a hormone that makes the body retain too much salt.
That, in turn, drives blood pressure dangerously high - sometimes reaching 200/130.
This is far above the 120/80 level doctors say is healthy
Standard meds don’t work for everyone, leaving them at serious risk.
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But doctors in London and Cambridge created a potentially game-changing fix called targeted thermal therapy (TTT), also known as endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation.
Using a needle, they deliver bursts of intense heat to destroy the nodules.
The 20-minute procedure, done under sedation, lets patients go home the same day - unlike surgery, which requires general anesthesia and days in hospital.
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A small trial in The Lancet revealed that four patients ditched their meds entirely, 12 cut their drug use in half, and three-quarters stopped overproducing aldosterone.
“This procedure could potentially transform life for one in 20 people with high blood pressure,” said a co-author of the study, Prof Morris Brown, from Barts Health NHS trust in London, told .
“They feel better, they have more energy, and they achieve normal blood pressure without daily medication or surgery.”
'I'M CURED'
Chris Miller, a patient who recently underwent TTT, said: "After the procedure, I haven’t had any issues with blood pressure, I’m cured.
"I thought I could be battling with high blood pressure for the rest of my life and now it’s not a problem."
Michelina Alfieri, one of the patients at Barts Health, said: "I had suffered debilitating headaches for years, despite numerous GP visits.
"This new procedure was non-invasive, and my recovery was almost immediate.
"I could return to my normal routine straight away. I thank the team for giving me a choice."
'VERY ENCOURAGING'
Experts from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), Barts, University College London Hospitals NHS trust, Cambridge University and Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge jointly developed TTT.
A larger trial with 110 patients is now underway.
Dr Pauline Swift, chair of , called the early results “very encouraging.”
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She said: “High blood pressure is often called the ‘silent killer’ because it usually presents no noticeable symptoms yet significantly increases the risk of serious health issues.”
Source: NHS
How to keep your blood pressure in check
High blood pressure - also known as hypertension - is often referred to as a 'silent killer condition' as its symptoms are rarely noticeable.
ut persistent high blood pressure puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs and it can raise your risk of serious conditions like heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.
According to the , more than one in four adults may not know they have the condition.
There are a few lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent and lower high blood pressure:
- Reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet
- Cut back on alcohol
- Lose weight if you're overweight
- Exercise regularly
- Cut down on caffeine
- Stop smoking
You can get your blood pressure checked at most pharmacies, GP surgeries and as part of your NHS Health Check.
Everyone over the age of 40 is advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years - you can do this for free in pharmacies if you're over 40 and live in England.
But you can't get a free check if:
- You already have high blood pressure
- A doctor, nurse or pharmacist has checked your blood pressure in the past 6 months
Source: NHS
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