Researchers Reveal Genes Associated With High Blood Pressure
11 May 2009
An international research team has identified common genetic variants associated with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and high blood pressure (hypertension), suggesting potential avenues of investigation for the prevention or treatment of high blood pressure. About 1 in 3 adults (approximately 72 million people) in the United States has high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems, and causes over 7 million deaths worldwide each year.
While the environment (diet, physical activity, stress, etc.) affects blood pressure, genetics also plays a substantial role and may increase some people's risk of developing high blood pressure under specific environmental exposures; however, many genes involved in blood pressure regulation remain unknown.
To identify genes involved in blood pressure maintenance and high blood pressure, the researchers analyzed differences in the genomes of nearly 30,000 people of European descent whose average systolic blood pressures ranged from 118 mm Hg to 143 mm Hg and average diastolic blood pressures ranged from 72 mm Hg to 83 mm Hg. These individuals were part of a long-term study of cardiovascular health and disease supported by the National Institutes of Health called ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities). The researchers looked for genetic differences that correlated with high blood pressure and found 11 variations or changes in DNA sequence that appear to regulate blood pressure levels.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), and expressed with two numbers, for example, 120/80 mm Hg. The first number (systolic pressure) is the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. The second number (diastolic pressure) is the pressure in large arteries when the heart is at rest between beats.
The researchers found that the top 10 gene variants for systolic and diastolic blood pressure were each associated with around a 1 and 0.5 mm Hg increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. The prevalence of high blood pressure increased as the number of variants increased.
People who carry very few blood pressure genetic risk variants have blood pressure levels that are several mm Hg lower than those who carry multiple risk variants. In practical terms this is enough to increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. A prolonged increase in diastolic blood pressure of only 5 mm Hg is associated with a 34 percent increase in risk for stroke and a 21 percent increase of coronary heart disease.
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References:
1. NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
2. Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
