Authors' recommendations: Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a condition in which the force of blood against the walls of blood vessels is abnormally high. Hypertension is the most common diagnosis in the United States, is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and is estimated to cause 7.1 million premature deaths and 4.5% of disease burden worldwide each year. A normal blood pressure (BP) reading is below 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg); a reading between this value and 140/90 mmHg is considered prehypertensive; and 140/90 mmHg or above is considered hypertensive. Hypertension may be classified as either primary (essential) hypertension, which develops slowly and has no identifiable cause, or secondary hypertension, which may appear suddenly in association with another underlying condition. Risk factors for hypertension include increasing age, family history, obesity, tobacco use, physical inactivity, excessive salt intake, potassium and vitamin D deficiency, excessive alcohol use, stress, and chronic conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, kidney disease, and high cholesterol. Hypertension rates are higher in African Americans than in other ethnic groups, and serious complications are also more common in African Americans. Pregnancy induces hypertension in some women, although the condition frequently resolves following birth. Children are generally at low risk for hypertension, although a growing number are affected by hypertension associated with an unhealthy diet and inactivity. Hypertension may be asymptomatic for years. Excessive pressure on artery walls may ultimately lead to blood vessels and organ damage, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, dementia, aneurysm, narrowing of blood vessels in the kidneys, and thickening or tearing of blood vessels in the eyes. Hypertension is also a component of metabolic syndrome, a group of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke-related factors that includes increased waist circumference, high insulin levels, high triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Hypertension treatment includes lifestyle changes such as dietary modifications, smoking cessation, alcohol reduction, management of stress and weight, and increase in physical activity. Numerous medications, alone or in combination, may also be prescribed. Hypertension is a complex, multifactorial condition with numerous genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors contributing to its development and response to treatment. One genetic factor of interest is the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) gene. AGTR1 encodes the angiotensin II type 1 receptor, which is involved in circulatory homeostasis. The c.*86A>C (also referred to as 1166A>C, A1166C, or rs5186) variant in AGTR1 is hypothesized to contribute to hypertension by affecting messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) stability and transcription; if the variant is not itself pathogenic, it may instead be in linkage disequilibrium with an unknown variant that affects BP regulation.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2013

URL for published report: The report may be purchased from: http://www.hayesinc.com/hayes/crd/?crd=15279

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: United States

Organisation Name: HAYES, Inc.

Contact Address: 157 S. Broad Street, Suite 200, Lansdale, PA 19446, USA. Tel: 215 855 0615; Fax: 215 855 5218

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Contact Email: saleinfo@hayesinc.com

Copyright: 2013 Winifred S. Hayes, Inc