RAAS inhibitors lower risk of aneurysm rupture among patients with high blood pressure
Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors can help brain aneurysm patients with high blood pressure reduce their risk of rupture, according to new research published in Hypertension.[1]
The study focused on data from more than 3,000 patients treated at one of 20 different facilities in China from 2016 to 2021. The average patient age was 61 years old.
Overall, 32% of patients taking RAAS inhibitors and 67% of patients not taking RAAS inhibitors experienced an intracranial aneurysm rupture. The risk among women was almost double the risk among men.
“We were surprised to find that even among people with controlled hypertension, those who took RAAS inhibitors still had a significantly lower rupture risk than individuals who used non-RAAS inhibitors,” senior author Qinghai Huang, MD, PhD, a professor of neurosurgery with Changhai Hospital in China, said in a statement. “Our study highlights that using the proper antihypertensive medications to achieve normalization of blood pressure may remarkably decrease the risk of a ruptured aneurysm.”
The researchers also noted that uncontrolled hypertension, exposure to second-hand smoke and untreated type 2 diabetes were all associated with a greater rupture risk.
“Based on these data, we estimate that nearly 18% of ruptured aneurysms may be prevented if all patients with high blood pressure and intracranial aneurysms were prescribed with RAAS inhibitors,” Huang said in the same statement. “Due to the strong potential benefit and high safety of RAAS inhibitors, these findings may also help clinicians to optimize treatment to help people with high blood pressure prevent aneurysm rupture.”
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Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.