Cure For Pulmonary Hypertension Is On its Way, Studies Suggest

As we all know, pulmonary hypertension or high blood pressure in the lungs let the heart works twice as normal. If such thing happens it will strain the arteries located on the right side of the heart. Now, researchers found an altering agent to reduce the effects of blood pressure and improve the heart's performance.

Experts study the behavior of the heart undergoing high blood pressure. They performed an experiment with the help of mice, to at least give the cure to this disease. As for the people undergoing this health risk, it can be deadly.

A team of researchers from the University of Florida discovered a strain of Lactobacillus to alter the disease. They studied the effects with the help of rats and presented their results at the American Heart Association's Council on Hypertension 2016.

Their study showed the method of distributing the peptide Angiotensin-(1-7) using a probiotic bacteria and it was proven beneficial.  For the study to be achieved experts genetically engineered the strain of Lactobacillus then measured the thickness of the rat's heart wall and the ability of it to contract, as well as the systolic blood pressure which marks pulmonary hypertension at the right side of the heart. They tested it through oral feeding.

A graduate research assistant in the Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics at the University of Florida, Colleen Cole Jeffrey said, "It is known that the peptide Angiotensin-(1-7) is beneficial for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in animal experiments, but taking this peptide orally hasn't been effective because it's easily degraded in the stomach,"  according to UPI Health News.

The results suggested that the probiotics can be modified for oral delivery and consumption. Thus, pulmonary hypertension can be cured using this method. For the result in an animal, experiment shows the decrease of hypertension after taking it.

On the other hand, Mohan Raizada Ph.D. and the principal if the study said that, "Certainly, there is still much more work to be done, But if our animal data holds true in clinical trials, probiotic consumption, as well as the use of genetically-modified probiotics, may emerge as a novel therapeutic approach for pulmonary hypertension therapy - either as standalone treatment or in conjunction with other medical therapies," reported by Health Canal.