Gene Variants in African Americans with High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a common disease among many people, not just African Americans. While healthy eating, exercise and leading a low stress life can help control your blood pressure, sometimes, you may need medication. Usually, individuals who have hypertension (a chronic form of high blood pressure) inherited it from their family, making it a family genetic disease. Researchers have been studying high blood pressure in African Americans because of this uncontrollable family genetic component.

In an article, Researchers Uncover Genetic Variants Linked To Blood Pressure in African-Americans, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found gene variants that contribute to the development of high blood pressure in African Americans. They found that these genes are found in the area of where protein codes are located that influence blood pressure. Interestingly enough, the variants in the genes are prevalent more in high systolic blood pressure rather than diastolic blood pressure or both systolic and diastolic.

What does this new research mean for African Americans? Scientists will be able to develop new treatments for individuals suffering from hypertension, especially those with high systolic blood pressure. With genetic testing, African Americans and other individuals may also be able to prevent the disease before it becomes threatening.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/houseofsims/488589421/)

July 29th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Health | (0)