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A study led by Queen Mary University of London has found that a new treatment could offer a lasting cure for some people with a common hormonal cause of high blood pressure, even after they stop taking medication.

The treatment, known as extended aldosterone synthase inhibition (EASI), involves taking a new class of drugs for 6–12 months to target excess production of the hormone aldosterone, a common cause of high blood pressure. Unlike conventional treatments that control blood pressure, the EASI treatment appears to reverse its underlying cause, removing the need for lifelong medication. Until now, cure has required surgery to remove an entire adrenal gland.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed 14 people treated at eight centers across the United States. Researchers found that the EASI treatment led to sustained reversal of excess aldosterone production and partial or complete resolution of high blood pressure for up to two years after treatment ended.

Hormone levels and blood pressure remained similar to, or lower than, those recorded during their EASI treatment, suggesting that the benefits could persist long after people stop taking the drug. The findings raise the possibility that, for some people, high blood pressure could be cured rather than managed with lifelong medication.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects millions of people worldwide. It is estimated that between 5% and 10% of cases are caused by primary aldosteronism, a condition in which benign nodules in the adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone.

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