Researchers say elevated cortisol levels may be contributing to treatment-resistant hypertension in millions of Americans who remain undiagnosed.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A large nationwide study conducted by researchers at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital has identified a previously underrecognized hormonal condition in a significant share of Americans suffering from resistant hypertension, raising new questions about how difficult-to-control high blood pressure is diagnosed and treated.
The MOMENTUM study, which evaluated 1,086 adults across 50 medical centers in the United States, found that 27% of participants met clinical criteria for hypercortisolism, a condition involving elevated cortisol levels. Researchers also reported that about 20% of participants had increased aldosterone levels, another hormone associated with blood pressure regulation.
According to a NaturalHealth365 report, the findings challenge long-standing assumptions in conventional medicine about the causes of resistant hypertension.
Lead investigator Dr. Deepak L. Bhatt of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital said the results are “very different from what doctors have been historically taught in medical school,” according to the report.
Resistant hypertension is generally defined as blood pressure that remains uncontrolled despite the use of at least three antihypertensive medications administered at maximum tolerated doses. Researchers said the condition affects nearly 10 million Americans.
The study suggests that elevated cortisol may be a major underlying factor in many of these cases, potentially explaining why traditional medications often fail to adequately lower blood pressure.
“Standard blood pressure medications work on entirely different targets,” the NaturalHealth365 article stated. “They were never designed to address excess cortisol.”
Researchers said persistently elevated cortisol contributes to hypertension through multiple biological mechanisms, including sodium and water retention by the kidneys, stiffening of blood vessels, and increased insulin resistance. Because most antihypertensive drugs do not directly address these processes, patients may continue to experience elevated blood pressure despite escalating prescriptions.
Cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands, serves as the body’s primary stress hormone. While short-term cortisol release is necessary for survival, chronically elevated levels can produce cumulative physiological damage, according to the study findings.
Investigators noted that prolonged cortisol elevation can also interfere with thyroid activity, disrupt hormone balance, and contribute to abdominal fat accumulation.
An endocrinology reference cited in the report states that excessive cortisol production caused by adrenal cortex hypersecretion is commonly associated with Cushing’s syndrome, a condition typically linked to pituitary or adrenal tumors. However, the MOMENTUM study suggests that milder forms of cortisol excess may occur far more frequently than previously recognized and may still carry significant clinical consequences.
Researchers said one reason the condition often goes undetected is that current medical screening practices focus primarily on severe cases such as Cushing’s syndrome rather than lower-grade cortisol abnormalities.
The report noted that screening tools including 24-hour urinary free cortisol testing and overnight dexamethasone suppression testing are rarely incorporated into standard hypertension management, despite their use in endocrinology.
Sleep disruption was also identified as a contributor to persistent cortisol elevation. A Mercola.com report referencing findings presented at an American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Research conference stated that poor sleep significantly increases the risk of resistant hypertension.
“Poor sleep is one of the most powerful lifestyle drivers that keep cortisol elevated,” the NaturalHealth365 report stated.
Researchers additionally identified chronic emotional stress, unstable blood sugar levels, and excessive caffeine intake as factors that may contribute to ongoing adrenal overstimulation.
The study authors said the findings support broader screening efforts for hypercortisolism among patients whose hypertension remains uncontrolled despite multiple medications.
They also called for closer collaboration between cardiologists and endocrinologists in evaluating treatment-resistant cases.
The report further referenced natural approaches discussed outside conventional medical guidelines, including adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil, along with magnesium supplementation, which researchers said may support cortisol regulation.
A separate Mercola.com article cited in the report stated that magnesium plays a key role in adrenal function and is commonly depleted under chronic stress conditions.
“If blood pressure refuses to come down despite multiple medications, the answer may not be another prescription,” the NaturalHealth365 article concluded.
Researchers said the findings highlight what may be a broader gap in hypertension care, where hormonal contributors to cardiovascular disease remain underrecognized in routine practice.
Source: Natural News
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