Questioning Medicine

Episode 390: 401. Add-On Treatment With Zilebesiran for Inadequately Controlled Hypertension


Listen Later

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2834632

Summary

The article examines the effectiveness and safety of zilebesiran, an RNA interference therapeutic agent, when used in combination with standard first-line antihypertensive drugs for patients with inadequately controlled hypertension. The phase 2, prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial was conducted over multiple international sites with patients treated with either indapamide, amlodipine, or olmesartan. The primary outcome measured was the change in 24-hour mean ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) at three months.

Key findings from the study showed that a single subcutaneous dose of zilebesiran significantly reduced 24-hour mean ambulatory and office SBP at three months compared to placebo, across all background treatments. This indicates that zilebesiran can be an effective adjunctive treatment to standard oral antihypertensive therapies, providing sustained blood pressure control.

Strengths

  1. Innovative Approach: The use of RNA interference to target hepatic synthesis of angiotensinogen introduces a novel mechanism to control blood pressure.
  2. Methodological Rigor: The study used a double-blinded, placebo-controlled design across multiple international sites, enhancing the reliability and generalizability of the results.
  3. Significant Findings: The results indicated significant reductions in SBP with zilebesiran, especially when added to indapamide and amlodipine, showing its potential effectiveness as an additive therapy.
  4. Well-Tolerated: Despite instances of hyperkalemia, hypotension, and acute kidney failure, most events were mild and resolved without the need for medical intervention, highlighting a favorable safety profile for zilebesiran.

    Weaknesses

    1. Short Duration: The study's follow-up period was limited to six months. Long-term efficacy and safety of zilebesiran need to be evaluated in future studies.
    2. Sample Size and Specificity: The study's sample size might be insufficient to capture rare adverse events, and the exclusion of patients with high cardiovascular risk might limit the applicability of the results to broader, real-world populations.
    3. EIght Background Therapies: Although the study included three commonly used antihypertensive drugs, the varying responses could indicate the need for more comprehensive studies including other first-line therapies.


      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Questioning MedicineBy Questioning Medicine

      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9

      4.9

      73 ratings


      More shows like Questioning Medicine

      View all
      This American Life by This American Life

      This American Life

      90,396 Listeners

      The Foreign Desk by Monocle

      The Foreign Desk

      117 Listeners

      JAMA Clinical Reviews by JAMA Network

      JAMA Clinical Reviews

      502 Listeners

      AFP: American Family Physician Podcast by American Academy of Family Physicians

      AFP: American Family Physician Podcast

      694 Listeners

      The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast by Dr. Jordan B. Peterson

      The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

      33,947 Listeners

      White Coat Investor Podcast by Dr. Jim Dahle of the White Coat Investor

      White Coat Investor Podcast

      2,427 Listeners

      The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast by The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast

      The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast

      3,333 Listeners

      The Daily by The New York Times

      The Daily

      111,088 Listeners

      Up First from NPR by NPR

      Up First from NPR

      56,011 Listeners

      Consider This from NPR by NPR

      Consider This from NPR

      6,005 Listeners

      Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

      Huberman Lab

      28,636 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      15,503 Listeners

      The Money with Katie Show by Morning Brew

      The Money with Katie Show

      1,490 Listeners

      The Retrievals by Serial Productions & The New York Times

      The Retrievals

      10,767 Listeners

      The Rest Is Politics: US by Goalhanger

      The Rest Is Politics: US

      2,210 Listeners