Rogue genes may help high blood pressure treatment

Monday May 11, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- Common genes carried by almost half of the population can lead to high blood pressure, says a new study by two British groups.

Identification of these genes may help pave the way for new treatments of hypertension and high blood pressure, according to an article in the Daily Mail.

Researchers say the rogue genes could raise the risk of heart attack by more than 20 percent, and the risk of stroke by more than 33 percent.

High blood pressure affects 16 million Britons and is blamed for more than 62,000 deaths each year, according to the Daily Mail report.

The American Heart Association (AHA) says that 73.6 million people in the United States have high blood pressure, or one in three adults age 20 and older. In 2005 alone, high blood pressure resulted in more than 57,000 deaths.

Thirteen genes were identified in the two studies which are published in the journal Nature Genetics. Researchers believe that some of the genes affect salt levels in the body and others influence the relaxation of blood vessels, known factors in high blood pressure.

Eight of the genes responsible for blood pressure problems were identified in the first study. Scientists examined the DNA of 136,000 people for sequences that can lead to blood pressure regulation.

The study’s co-author, Dr. Mark Caulfield, said results of the study may help reverse the risk of the potentially deadly disease.

“There is serious unmet need in the treatment of high blood pressure,” he said. “Approximately half of patients do not achieve the recommended targets to fully reverse their risk of stroke and heart attack.”

Dr. Peter Weissberg, of the British Heart Foundation, said learning how the genes interact may help with new treatments.

“The findings confirm that high blood pressure is due to the interaction of many genes,” he said, “each with a small effect, rather than a few genes with a large effect. Understanding how some of these previously unknown genes interact to increase blood pressure may lead to new treatments for this major risk factor for heart disease.”

Besides genetics, lifestyle patterns play a large role in developing high blood pressure, say researchers. They stressed that everyone can take their health into their own hands.

“Blood pressure is a disorder of both the genes and the environment,” said Patricia Munroe of Queen Mary, University of London. “The environment is the one thing people can control. Diet, weight and smoking are all important in blood pressure regulation and are things you can do something about.”

The AHA states that from 1995 to 2005 the death rate from high blood pressure increased 25 percent, and the actual number of deaths in that time period rose 56.4 percent. The cause of 90 to 95 percent of all blood pressure cases is not known, but the condition is easily detected and usually controllable.

(By Sheilah Downey, and edited by Heather Kelley)