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Body's 'cannabis' could hold blood pressure key

BBC Online

Monday 28 Dec 1998

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Doctors are studying the body's own version of
cannabis in the hope that it will help them
find new ways to tackle high blood pressure.

The research centres on endocannabinoids -
natural substances produced by the body - which
chemically similar to the active ingredients in
the drug.

These substances are known to make blood vessels
relax, which can reduce blood pressure by
allowing blood to flow more freely.

The effect has been observed, but little is
known about how endocannabinoids are produced
and how they cause changes in the body.

The study is being carried out by researchers
in Nottingham, and is being funded with a
£120,000 grant from the British Heart Foundation.

Effects

Dr David Kendall, from the Queen's Medical Centre
in the city, said: "This research should tell us
a great deal more about how these substances
affect our circulation.

"This is a new and exciting area of research
which could ultimately lead to better treatments
for a range of cardiovascular diseases."

Professor Brian Pentecost, medical director of
the British Heart Foundation, said the foundation
was not encouraging drug abuse.

"These are natural substances, present in all our
bodies, that seem to have important effects on our
circulation," he said.

"Hopefully this project will shed new light on
how we could use these effects to help heart
patients."

Prevalence

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects
between 10% and 20% of adults in the UK.

It is linked to obesity, smoking, and in some
cases, a high salt intake.

Hypertension puts a strain on the heart and
blood vessels and greatly increases the risk of
stroke and heart disease.

For a man in his 40s, each rise of 10mm of
mercury in systolic blood pressure - the peak
level surge that coincides with each heart beat
- increases his risk of developing heart disease
risk by about 20%.


 

 

 

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