“Unlocking Blood Pressure: Insights from Genomic Discoveries”

A recent study has discovered genomic that over 2,000 regions on the human genome can impact an individual’s blood pressure and increase their risk of developing hypertension.

Genomics, the study of an individual’s genetic makeup and relationships between genes, was used to analyze data from over a million people in order to identify regions on the genome that are linked to blood pressure.

The study, led by Queen Mary University of London, UK, found over 100 new genomic locations that explain a larger portion of the genetic differences in people’s blood pressure, which could lead to tailored treatments for hypertension.

Several of the newly discovered genome locations were found to be within genes associated with iron metabolism, indicating that high levels of accumulated iron could contribute to developing cardiovascular disease.

High blood pressure runs in families, indicating that genetics plays a role in developing the condition, as well as environmental factors such as a high-salt diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and stress. A consistently high blood pressure can damage the heart and blood vessels, increasing a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other conditions.

The researchers calculated a polygenic risk score to predict an individual’s blood pressure and risk for hypertension, which is based on the person’s genomic variants conferring risk for hypertension.

The scores can reveal meaningful differences between people’s blood pressure, and the team is making the data publicly available for further research.

The study provides new resources for understanding biological mechanisms and new polygenic risk scores for early identification and stratification of people at risk for cardiovascular diseases.