By IANS,
Washington : Dozens of genetic variants may explain why some people face a higher risk of hypertension, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, according to a new study.
Scientists found the set of genes associated with blood pressure (BP) in European populations common with people of Asian and African extract.
The study involved more than 200,000 people worldwide, identifying 29 DNA sequence variations across the human genome that influence BP, the journal Nature reports.
These genes were found with the help of data of decades that were pooled and analysed by a large international consortium, including Johns Hopkins researchers, according a Hopkins statement.
“The more of these variants an individual has, the greater are his or her chances of having hypertension, stroke and coronary artery disease,” says study author Aravinda Chakravarti.
Chakravarti is professor of medicine, paediatrics and molecular biology and genetics, at Johns Hopkins.
The individuals whose genomes were analyzed for this study had their BP recorded when they originally entered other long-term cardiovascular research studies.
Scientists used these measures to assess the predictive value of the genes and BP in terms of the subjects’ current cardiovascular status.