Clinical Research Studies

The purpose of this research study is to understand the relationship between primary hypertension (high blood pressure) and the activation/deactivation of specific cells of the immune system; called T-regs. We also want to understand how changes in sodium (salt) concentration in your body are linked to immunologic processes that contribute to the development of hypertension. This is an investigational study that will use a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication called hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic, also known as a water pill. Diuretics work by making your kidneys put more sodium into your urine. The sodium, in turn, takes water with it from your blood. This decreases the amount of fluid flowing through your blood vessels, which reduces pressure on the walls of your arteries. We hope this will result in an increase number of circulating T-regs, which is associated with decreases in blood pressure. Some patients will be prescribed a diuretic medication and some may be prescribed a non-diuretic blood pressure medication based upon the discretion of your doctor. We will compare the immune response in the patients treated a diuretic to those who are given other types of drugs to lower their blood pressure