A recent study from Penn Dental Medicine has found that widely prescribed medications for high blood pressure may reduce the effectiveness of a promising new enzyme therapy called ACE2. The research, published in Hypertension Research, suggests that combining ACE2 with certain standard blood pressure medications could worsen hypertension in some cases.
The study used a lettuce-based delivery system to test ACE2 in dogs with high blood pressure and heart disease, already taking common medications such as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). The results showed that ACE2 was blocked in dogs taking ACE inhibitors, while ARBs increased levels of angiotensin II. However, one specific medication, lisinopril, allowed ACE2 to function as intended.
The researchers plan to repeat the study with dogs taking lisinopril and aim to translate the therapy to humans. The goal is to develop new approaches that safely pair standard hypertension medications with ACE2 therapy, potentially offering a more affordable alternative for patients whose blood pressure remains uncontrolled.
Source: https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/clinical/dental-research/penn-dental-medicine-finds-common-blood-pressure-drugs-may-interfere-with-promising-enzyme-therapy-1003986123