Over the past few years, our lab has been beating the drum for the need for new information about the systems that control fluid balance and blood pressure. Studies of these systems have the real potential of leading to new treatment approaches for hypertension. High blood pressure is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease sits at the very top of the list of causes of death worldwide. Hypertension is very common in the United States, and rates of hypertension have increased substantially over the last decade. This increase has occurred in spite of many FDA-approved treatments for hypertension and a strong emphasis on education and public awareness. We have argued that these treatments clearly aren’t enough, and that many treatments that lower blood pressure, don’t lower it enough. This new study certainly supports our view, which is always nice to hear.
The study was described in the New York Times today after a press release from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Thirst Science 