Allopurinol to improve heart relaxation in Black adults with resistant high blood pressure
Official title: Allopurinol Improves Diastolic Function in African Americans with Resistant Hypertension
Funded at Birmingham VA Medical Center · NIH-11320700 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Giving allopurinol to Black adults with resistant high blood pressure to help the heart relax and work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Birmingham VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I21RX004655-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11320700 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who identify as Black/African American with resistant hypertension (on three or more blood pressure drugs including a diuretic) and evidence of diastolic dysfunction would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without resistant hypertension, those with different types of heart failure (reduced ejection fraction), or individuals unable to attend in-person visits are unlikely to benefit from this specific effort.
What this research studies
You would join a team at the Birmingham VA that is testing whether allopurinol can improve the heart's ability to relax (diastolic function) in Black adults whose blood pressure stays high despite multiple medicines. Participants will take allopurinol and return for heart imaging, blood pressure checks, and other tests over the study period to track changes in heart structure and energy use. The researchers focus on people with resistant hypertension and may measure symptoms, side effects, and markers of heart muscle bioenergetics. The work is timed over a multi-year period and is aimed at preventing progression toward heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve heart relaxation and reduce the risk of heart failure in Black adults with hard-to-control blood pressure.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier smaller trials and studies suggest allopurinol can lower oxidative stress and sometimes improve heart or vascular function, but using it specifically for diastolic dysfunction in Black adults with resistant hypertension is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Birmingham VA Medical Center
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dell'italia, Louis J. — Birmingham VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Dell'italia, Louis J.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.