Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for renal, cerebrovascular, and cardiovascular disease. The pathophysiology of hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is complex, whereby both genetic and environmental factors interact with several physiological pathways and mechanisms to produce an observable phenotype.
Epidemiological studies have improved our understanding of the environmental factors that influence hypertension, particularly the role of diet and exercise; however, the role of genetics in the context of hypertension has been a challenge to determine.
Studies of blood pressure data systematically acquired across three generations of the Framingham Heart Study (the first and long-term, ongoing cardiovascular cohort study of residents of the city of Framingham, Massachusetts) have revealed that higher blood pressure in both grandparents and parents is associated with the risk of the same condition appearing in the third generation.
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