A new drug called baxdrostat may help people with high blood pressure that does not respond to existing treatments, according to a report published in Science News.
Results from a Phase III clinical trial, published August 30 in The New England Journal of Medicine, show the drug lowered blood pressure in patients with resistant or uncontrolled hypertension.
The findings were also presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2025 in Madrid.
The 12-week trial included nearly 800 patients with an average blood pressure of 149/87 mm Hg. Patients who received 1 or 2 milligrams of baxdrostat along with their current medications saw their systolic pressure drop about 9–10 mm Hg more than those given a placebo. A small substudy also showed an average 15 mm Hg drop in 24-hour systolic readings.
About 40 percent of patients taking baxdrostat reached healthy systolic levels below 130 mm Hg, compared with 19 percent in the placebo group. The drug was effective across age groups, sexes, and numbers of background medications.
Baxdrostat works by blocking production of aldosterone, a hormone that raises blood pressure by causing the body to retain salt and water. Unlike older drugs such as spironolactone, baxdrostat did not cause major side effects. Mild increases in potassium were noted, but kidney effects were small and may be beneficial.
An eight-week withdrawal phase showed blood pressure rose slightly when patients stopped baxdrostat, while those who stayed on the drug saw an additional decline.
Experts say the results could reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure for people with resistant hypertension. The drug’s developer, AstraZeneca, plans to seek U.S. approval by late 2025.
