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| Illustration depicting the location of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension |
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension is a specific type of high blood pressure that affects, not only the arteries, but the lungs too. It can cause lifelong symptoms of dizziness, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Researchers at St. George’s University, in London, have identified new genetic markers for this condition.
Genome sequencing of 1,038 patients was conducted, to understand its genetic components. The researchers identified three genes for pulmonary arterial hypertension and one gene that puts someone at risk for developing the disorder. Prior to this study, no singular genes were matched to pulmonary arterial hypertension. Without understanding its genome, diagnosis, treatment, and possibly a cure is very difficult to proceed with.
With about 200,000 cases per year in just the United States alone, this discovery can lead to new drug development and treatment of this condition. In addition, it can improve diagnoses and treat those with the at risk gene ahead of time, saving their life from uncomfortable side effects.
Link to Article: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-genetic-treatments-pulmonary-arterial-hypertension.html
I liked how you described pulmonary arterial hypertension in the beginning of this post. Th description was short but informative. It is amazing that there is a genetic component to this disease. Th gene the puts individuals at risk for pulmonary arterial hypertension is incredible. Now individuals can be screened for this gene to see if they are at risk. With the understanding of the genetic component of the disease I think there can be a more complete understanding of the disease.
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