Scientists Have Discovered A New Way To Identify The Cause Of High Blood Pressure
- 17.09.2026, 10:38
A wearable device can help diagnose hormonal imbalances earlier.
One of the common causes of high blood pressure—one that is often overlooked—may become easier to identify. To this end, a wearable device has been developed that tracks changes in hormone levels throughout the day and night, according to ScienceDaily.
The new study focuses on primary aldosteronism—a hormonal disorder that may affect up to one in five people with high blood pressure. This condition is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and other serious health problems.
The researchers found that people with primary aldosteronism may experience hormone surges both during the day and while sleeping at night. These nighttime surges are particularly important because blood tests are rarely performed during sleep.
To track these changes, researchers have developed a portable device that allows patients to continuously monitor their hormone levels while maintaining their normal daily routines. This type of continuous monitoring can detect abnormalities that might be missed with traditional testing.
“Primary aldosteronism is a major cause of high blood pressure and the most common cause of secondary hypertension that we encounter at our hypertension clinic. Millions of people in the United Kingdom may be affected by it. However, due to fluctuations in hormone levels throughout the day and the complexity of the current diagnostic process, the diagnosis is often delayed or missed entirely,” said study co-author Dr. Thomas Upton of the University of Bristol.
The researcher explained that during the study, patients were monitored at home while going about their normal activities. According to him, this allowed researchers to track how hormone levels change over time under real-world conditions.
The researchers monitored 60 patients in Bristol, Bergen, Stockholm, and Athens for 24 hours. Hormone levels were measured every 20 minutes using a wearable device about the size of a cell phone, which was attached to the waist.
The device collects hormone samples through the skin, allowing participants to continue their normal activities—including sleeping at night—while researchers gathered detailed data on hormone levels.
“Thanks to continuous 24-hour hormone monitoring, we were able to identify a previously hidden pattern of nighttime hormone surges. This gives us a much clearer understanding of the disease and may ultimately help doctors detect it at earlier stages and treat patients more effectively,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Eder Zavala.