When it comes to healing chronic wounds, you may not think of blood pressure medication, but that’s what scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland are researching.

According to the report, first published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the research team created a topical gel made from common blood pressure medication. They found that it blocks inflammation pathways and speeds healing of chronic wounds in mice and pig skin.

The research team is now attempting to receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment method for chronic skin wounds in diabetics and other older adults.

“The FDA has not issued any new drug approval for wound healing in the past 10 years,” says Peter Abadir, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Using medicines that have been available for more than two decades, we think we have shown that this class of medicines holds great promise in effectively healing chronic wounds that are prevalent in diabetic and aged patients.”

How Does it Work?

In conducting this research, the team aimed to combat the slow healing process that diabetics and older adults suffer from. They believe the skin’s renin-angiotensin system (RAS) doesn’t work as well in seniors and diabetics, causing a slower healing process. The blood pressure medicine in the gel blocks RAS and increases blood flow to the wound, allowing for faster healing.

Soon, there may be new hope for the 5.7 million Americans who suffer from chronic wounds.

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