Half a million individuals in the UK who suffer from dangerously elevated blood pressure, often referred to as the “silent killer” and which annually claims thousands of lives, may find a cure through a groundbreaking treatment. The condition, which causes salt accumulation in the body, heightening the risk of strokes or heart attacks, could be effectively managed without resorting to conventional surgeries or lifelong medication.
A group of medical experts from London and Cambridge have crafted an innovative therapy known as Targeted Thermal Therapy (TTT), which focuses heat directly onto nodules in the adrenal glands, responsible for the overproduction of aldosterone, a hormone that affects salt retention. This procedure replaces the need for surgery or the medication spironolactone in patients with primary aldosteronism, a condition accounting for one in twenty cases of high blood pressure.
Primary aldosteronism leads to adrenaline, cortisol, and excess aldosterone production, culminating in abnormal blood pressure levels that significantly increase the risk of fatal cardiovascular events. The nodules’ destruction via TTT reduces this risk and aims to normalize blood pressure levels.
The procedure, lasting around 20 minutes and performed under sedation, allows patients to return home on the day of treatment, whereas traditional gland removal surgery takes longer and necessitates general anesthesia and a hospital stay.
A trial among 28 individuals with primary aldosteronism demonstrated the effectiveness of TTT, with some patients ceasing medication use altogether, and the therapy improved blood pressure for many more; it also successfully reduced aldosterone production.
This development is especially promising for about 5% of those with high blood pressure due to primary aldosteronism, potentially reducing their risks of stroke, heart attack, and irregular heartbeats, leading to improved energy levels and mental health.
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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/09/new-treatment-could-cure-high-blood-pressure-due-to-primary-aldosteronism
