The current study, published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, tested whether treatment with allopurinol would reduce blood pressure in 30 11- to 17-year-olds who had high uric acid levels and newly diagnosed high blood pressure.
The participants received either allopurinol or a placebo twice a day for four weeks. The drug showed significant decrease in blood pressure and 20 of the 30 participants achieved normal blood pressure levels while taking the allopurinol. Only one of the 30 achieved normal blood pressure while taking the placebo, WebMD reported.
Dr. Daniel I. Feig, associate professor of pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and the study's author, said he conducted the study to test the hypothesis that lowering uric acid levels can lower blood pressure in teens.
However, he cautioned that the drug can have serious side effects including gastrointestinal complaints and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (a severe allergic reaction), and should not be used in teens with high blood pressure.
