Understanding how a simple salt lowers blood pressure in people with hypertension

Nitrite-induced redox regulation of vascular function in hypertension

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a very common and serious health problem worldwide. When blood pressure – the pressure of blood in the arteries – is consistently high, it puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels and can lead to a heart attack, stroke or kidney disease. There are a variety of medicines available to lower blood pressure, but they can have side effects or may not be effective or suitable for some people. Sodium nitrite is a simple salt that has shown promise as an effective, cheap, and safe treatment for hypertension in humans. The nitrite ion (NO-) causes relaxation of blood vessels and subsequent lowering of blood pressure. Dr Melanie Madhani and colleagues at the University of Birmingham have evidence showing exactly how nitrite causes this effect in healthy mice. Interestingly, the biochemistry is the opposite of what many scientists might predict (involving an ‘oxidation’ rather than a ‘reduction’ process). The team of researchers, including hypertension, cardiovascular and nitrite chemistry experts, will now assess this biochemical pathway in mice with hypertension, and blood vessels taken from people with and without hypertension. Findings from this research could accelerate the introduction of a new effective treatment for hypertension. Understanding the biochemistry of nitrite in the cardiovascular system could also help us combat other heart and circulatory diseases.