Targeting baroreceptors to control blood pressure

Probing a novel glutamatergic mechanism in baroreceptor terminals to control hypertension

High blood pressure, or hypertension –is a risk factor for heart and circulatory disease. Many people with hypertension are not receiving treatment for the condition. Research to investigate new ways to control blood pressure could reveal new options for people who currently do not respond well to blood pressure lowering drugs. Scientists have recently discovered that they can lower blood pressure in patients who don’t respond to drugs by electrically stimulating blood pressure sensors on the nerve endings around blood vessels, called ‘baroreceptors’. This invasive surgery is expensive to carry out and the implants can be uncomfortable. Dr Guy Bewick and colleagues are looking at alternative ways of controlling blood pressure by using drugs that target baroreceptors, rather than using implants. They recently discovered a way to stimulate these nerve endings using drugs in rats and have shown that this reduces blood pressure. The BHF has now awarded them a grant to take their work further. First they will screen a selection of drugs to find the drug that best stimulates baroreceptors and reduces blood pressure in normal rats. They will then test if they can reduce blood pressure in a rat that develops high blood pressure. This research will reveal if baroreceptors could be good drug target. If successful, this research could rapidly be translated into trials in people. In the future, new drugs could offer hope to those struggling to keep their blood pressure under control.