Momentum Trial Insights
During the 2026 American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session, critical new information was shared from the Momentum trial. This extensive study
focused on identifying the occurrence of endogenous hypercortisolism within a group of patients diagnosed with resistant hypertension. The trial meticulously screened a total of 1,086 individuals who were struggling with hypertension that did not respond adequately to standard treatments. The analysis revealed a striking finding: a substantial 27.3 percent of these patients, which equates to 297 individuals, exhibited signs of hypercortisolism. This condition involves the body producing too much cortisol, a crucial hormone, and its presence can significantly complicate the management of blood pressure and other health issues. The results from Momentum provide valuable insights into a potential, often overlooked, factor contributing to the difficulty in controlling high blood pressure for a considerable portion of the patient population.
Connecting the Dots
The discoveries made in the Momentum trial resonate strongly with earlier research conducted in the Catalyst study, offering a more comprehensive picture of hypercortisolism's impact. The Catalyst trial had previously investigated the prevalence of this hormonal imbalance in patients dealing with type 2 diabetes that was proving difficult to control. In that study, 1,057 patients were screened, and hypercortisolism was detected in 23.8 percent of them. When researchers examined specific subgroups within these trials, the connection became even more pronounced. For instance, among patients in the Momentum trial who had a hemoglobin A1c level of 7.5 percent or higher and were already on three or more blood pressure medications, the prevalence of hypercortisolism rose to 32.6 percent. Similarly, in the Catalyst trial, a comparable group of diabetic patients with high A1c and multiple blood pressure medications showed an even higher rate of hypercortisolism at 36.6 percent. These overlapping statistics suggest that hypercortisolism might be a common underlying factor that exacerbates both resistant hypertension and difficult-to-manage type 2 diabetes.
