Twice a year jabs could replace blood pressure pills

MILLIONS of people could receive blood pressure-lowering jabs twice a year as an alternative to daily tablets.

The ‘game-changing’ treatment targets a protein called angiotensinogen, which is produced by the liver and involved in regulating blood pressure.

Experts hope it could be widely available in three to five years. Around a third of the population are living with high blood pressure, which is thought to affect more than 12million people in England and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Most people develop it because of their diet, lifestyle or a medical condition.

Dr Manish Saxena, from Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust, who is leading the trial of the injection, called Zilebesiran, said: ‘This is a game-changing drug... A treatment which lasts for six months could help those people who forget to take their tablets, or do not want to because of side effects like coughing, frequent urination or swollen ankles.’

Around 100 people across the UK will be among 630 to take part in the three-year trial.