Washington: In a major breakthrough which
could help treat life-threatening blood infections, scientists
have discovered a new way to control blood pressure.
The control of blood pressure is central to people`s
wellbeing. While hypertension leads to coronary heart disease,
heart failure, stroke and kidney failure in many cases, low
blood pressure can be life threatening at times.
Now, an international team, led by Prof Roland Stocker
of Sydney University, has discovered a new regulatory pathway
in blood vessels that affects blood pressure, and unlocked the
secret of how it works.
"Excitingly, the new pathway is particularly
effective in conditions where presently known pathways fail.
Our discovery is likely relevant to human sepsis where blood
pressure control remains a major problem," Prof Stocker said.
This discovery is significant because it potentially
opens up a whole new method of treating various blood pressure
conditions.
By manipulating the operation of this regulatory
pathway, doctors may in the future be able to save lives by
using novel drugs to control the relaxation of blood vessels
in those suffering from severe infections and disease, say
the scientists.
The findings are published in the `Nature Medicine`
journal.
PTI