ASH: Hypertension: American Society of Hypertension Meeting

ASH: Common Genes Contribute to Blood Pressure Regulation

By Crystal Phend, Staff Writer, MedPage Today Published: May 10, 2009 Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Copy the code below to embed video on your website or blog: " name="embed_code"> SAN FRANCISCO, May 10 -- Common genetic variants that help determine risk of hypertension and blood pressure levels in the population have been discovered. For the first time, genome-wide analyses revealed variants -- in 13 regions, nearly all previously unsuspected -- linked with systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as hypertension. Odds ratios for hypertension associated with each of these variants ranged up to 1.16. But the researchers leading these studies cautioned that the findings would not be immediately useful for screening purposes. These findings from the combined efforts of two genetic research consortia were presented here at the American Society of Hypertension meeting and released online in two papers in Nature Genetics. Each study found eight significant gene regions, of which three overlapped, between meta-analysis and confirmatory genotyping analyses./.../

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He also noted that screening patients for a hypertension-risk genetic profile is unlikely to reach clinical practice any time soon. "Frankly, it may actually just be simpler to use a blood pressure cuff . . . since high-normal blood pressure is a risk factor for hypertension."

Drs. Levy and Newton-Cheh reported no relevant conflicts of interest.

Major funding for the consortia's work came from a large number of public and private organizations.
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Primary source: Nature Genetics
Source reference:
Newton-Cheh C, et al "Genome-wide association study identifies eight loci associated with blood pressure" Nat Genet 2009; DOI: 10.1038/ng.361.

Additional source: Nature Genetics
Source reference:
Levy D, et al "Genome-wide association study of blood pressure and hypertension" Nat Genet 2009; DOI: 10.1038/ng.384. /.../