ASH Annual Scientific Meeting Features Several Late-Breaking Presentations

NEW YORK, May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension (ASH) will feature presentations of several late-breaking clinical trials, which will highlight the most recent advances in hypertension research.

Dr. George Bakris, The University of Chicago Medicine and President of ASH, will present research on a new Hypoxia-inducible Factor Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitor (HIF-PHI), and its effects on anemia, blood pressure and cholesterol in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).  The HIF-PHI studied, FG-4592, is an investigational oral anemia therapy that has been shown to correct and/or maintain hemoglobin levels in CKD patients on dialysis and not on dialysis.  Dr. Bakris will discuss additional effects of FG-4592 on lowering cholesterol, improving HDL/LDL ratio, and lowering blood pressure observed in two ongoing, randomized, open-label phase 2 studies in CKD (Stages 3-4) and dialysis patients.  The data suggest that FG-4592 may present a new paradigm in treating anemia as a convenient oral HIF-PHI lacking the serious and common sides effects associated with injectable erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs).

Dr. Sunkuk Kwon, of the Institute for Molecular Medicine at the University of Texas, will discuss the development of dynamic near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging of lymphatic function, which will allow doctors to non-invasively assess lymphatic contractile function and architecture in animals and humans.  Using this novel technology, the research team demonstrated for the first time the change in lymphatic contractile function in mice and rats with salt-induced hypertension.  This contribution may present a new paradigm for hypertension diagnostics and provide important information in response to anti-hypertensive agents, which often cause peripheral edema in patients, and other emerging therapeutics that improve hypertension.

Dr. Keith Ferdinand will discuss his research into the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) effects of 0.75 mg and 1.5 mg doses of a novel once-weekly GLP-1 agonist, dulaglutide (dula), being investigated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.  Dr. Ferdinand, a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine, prospectively studied the effects in over 750 subjects of placebo (PBO) versus once-weekly dula, using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM).  Each dose of dula was non-inferior to placebo for SBP, with significant reductions in SBP observed with dula 1.5 mg.  Dr. Ferdinand also emphasizes the mechanism(s) of action and clinical implications for the SBP reduction warrant further investigation.

Dr. Majon Muller, researcher at the National Institute on Aging, will discuss research into the combined effect of high mid-life blood pressure and low late-life blood pressure levels on the brain.  Dr. Muller used data from approximately 4000 older persons (mean age 76 years) who participated in the AGES-Reykjavik Study and found that lower BP levels had detrimental effects on the brain, particularly in those persons with a history of hypertension.  These findings might suggest that the current directive "the lower the blood pressure, the better" may not be true for all persons.

Dr. Kei Asayama, University of Leuven, Belgium, will discuss research relating to blood pressure self-measurement at home and the cardiovascular outcomes in these patients.  Dr. Asayama also discusses the implications for drug therapies on patients who regularly measure their own blood pressure at home.

Dr. Michael Weber, SUNY College of Medicine, recently studied the effect of body mass on cardiovascular outcomes during hypertension, and will discuss his research on different hypertension therapies and outcomes for obese and normal-weight patients.

About the American Society of Hypertension, Inc.
The American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH) is the largest U.S. professional organization of scientific investigators and healthcare professionals committed to eliminating hypertension and its consequences.  ASH is dedicated to promoting strategies to prevent hypertension and to improving the care of patients with hypertension and associated disorders.  The specific focus of the Society is to translate current research findings on hypertension into effective treatment strategies, in order to better address the needs of hypertensive patients. For more information, please visit www.ash-us.org.

SOURCE American Society of Hypertension