Genetic Susceptibility and Hypertension

 

[caption id="attachment_2633" align="aligncenter" width="245" caption="Blood flow in the human kidney"][/caption]

High blood pressure, or more commonly Hypertension, is a disease that affects millions of American every year. This illness can be caused by the incivility of the kidneys to process water or salt correctly. Is this problem strictly on a personal level, or are there more factors involved in having hypertension than we previously considered? This article brings to light research that hypertension is determined by a person’s genes which control their susceptibility to the condition. Thus far they have identified ten genes that are responsible for a change in blood pressure. Although these genes are rare their affect on the susceptibility of hypertension is quite large. These genes affect the human kidney’s ability to regulate salt and water within the body. The findings from this research show promise in a correlation between genetic variation and an understanding and control of the processes of the human body.