Reducing uric acid may lower BP in teens with hypertension

Washington, Aug 27: Reducing uric acid levels may lower blood pressure in adolescents with high pressure, according to a new study.

Since high blood pressure is usually associated with high uric acid levels, some researches have suggested that elevated uric acid may be one cause of high blood pressure.

But since elevated uric acid levels in high blood pressure could be the result of several factors, high uric acid levels are not currently considered a true risk factor for hypertension.

Now, the latest study, which is published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, tested whether treatment with allopurinol would reduce blood pressure in 30 11- to 17-year-olds who had high uric acid levels and newly diagnosed high blood pressure.

Daniel I. Feig, of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and his colleagues randomly assigned the participants to receive either allopurinol or a placebo twice a day for four weeks.

After the four weeks, they took no therapy for two weeks. For the final four weeks of the study, the participants received whichever therapy - aallopurinol or placebo - they had not received during the first four weeks.

Allopurinol was associated with a significant decrease in blood pressure.

In fact, 20 of the 30 participants achieved normal blood pressure levels while taking the allopurinol, whereas only one of the 30 achieved normal blood pressure while taking the placebo.

The researchers hope that this study may lead to new treatments for people with high blood pressure.

ANI