A hypertension vaccine could be an important alternative to conventional drug therapy because of patients’ inconsistent drug intake — if further research supports results from a small study testing the safety and tolerability of a vaccine.

“Many patients are apparently unable or unwilling to take pills every day for the rest of their lives. If we could add or substitute a vaccine that would need to be given just every few months, Dr. Juerg Nussberger thinks we could achieve better control of high blood pressure.”

Another potential advantage of the vaccine over ACE inhibitors and ARBs is that these medications result in a large increase in renin, an enzyme that is thought to cause inflammation and is implicated in kidney failure. Vaccination induced only a low increase in renin, Bachmann said.

The next step in developing the vaccine is another small trial to determine whether a different injection regimen will create a larger antibody response and a greater reduction in blood pressure.

Nearly one in three American adults has high blood pressure – and if you do, it’s unlikely you know it.