A Hormone That Can Drive Blood Pressure and Kidney Damage.

Aldosterone is made by the adrenal glands and helps the body regulate salt and water. When levels are too high or poorly controlled, the hormone can cause the body to hold on to sodium, which leads to water retention and higher blood pressure.

Excess aldosterone may also damage blood vessels, contribute to thickening and stiffening in the cardiovascular system, and promote scarring in the kidneys. Because of that, researchers have been studying whether directly lowering aldosterone production could help patients whose blood pressure remains high despite standard medications.

Baxdrostat belongs to a class of drugs known as aldosterone synthase inhibitors. These medicines are designed to reduce the body’s production of aldosterone and are being tested for conditions that include high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure. Baxdrostat has not been approved for any use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“These findings are encouraging for people living with chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure, two conditions that often go hand-in-hand and create a dangerous cycle,” said lead study author Jamie P. Dwyer, M.D., a professor of medicine in the division of nephrology and hypertension at University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City. “High blood pressure can worsen kidney function, and declining kidney function can further elevate blood pressure, and these outcomes can be life-altering for patients.”