High Blood Pressure Drug May Help Those With Iron Overload

Researchers from the Innsbruck Medical University, the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory [EMBL] have discovered that Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker and common high blood pressure medicine, can act to reduce the levels in iron in people with iron overload.

While small amounts of iron are needed to make red blood cells and perform other important metabolic functions, too much iron is highly toxic and can cause diseases ranging from liver failure to brain damage. Some people are born with a disorder known as hemochromatosis, which impairs their ability to handle iron and leads to excessive levels of the metal in their body.

The effect has only been observed in mice so far, but researchers are hopeful that the results will translate well to humans.

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Calcium Channel Blockers
Hemochromatosis