Hypertension increases the risk of many conditions such as stroke, heart attack and kidney failure and other things. It affects approximately 30% of all people and contributes to millions of deaths each year across the world. As such, it is the focus of many studies aiming to get a better understanding of the genes which contribute to it.
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, along with an international team of collaborators studied the differences in the genomes of 30 000 people from European descent who had average to high blood pressure (from 118 over 72 to 143 over 83). There were eleven genetic differences which were found to have a correlation with high blood pressure. Surprisingly, none of them were found to be part of the system currently targeted by medication to limit blood pressure.
Each genetic difference was found to be common in the population and each has only a slight contribution to increased blood pressure. Instead it is a combination of these differences which leads to hypertension. One of these genes, ATP2B1, produces a protein which is responsible for the removal of calcium from the lining of blood vessels. Even a gene involved in immune response, SH2B3, was found to affect blood pressure.
A big issue with hypertension is that it is not a disease but rather a trait. This makes it difficult to study and treat. However, research like this goes a long way to improve the causes of high blood pressure and allow for the development of early detection systems.
original link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505175654.htm
