Genetics of Hypertension


Book Description

Classic and modern tools of genetics have been applied to hypertension research for some 20 years. This volume in the Handbook of Hypertension series aims to go beyond a simple summary of discoveries and provides a critical commentary on many controversial issues. It will be particularly useful for clinician scientists at all stages of their careers, graduate students and post-doctoral scientists as well as all those interested in cardiovascular medicine and research throughout the entire spectrum from bench to bedside. As in every relatively young area of research, the initial excitement over the early positive observations has not always been confirmed by subsequent larger studies with greater statistical power. Issues related to current recommendations on design of studies and their analysis are therefore included. Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics have been the subjects of many debates in recent years and are of particular importance in hypertension as life-long treatments, frequently with multiple drugs are given to millions of people world-wide. A critical appraisal of this controversial topic is provided. Several chapters on experimental genetics of hypertension with a special focus on physiological genomics are also included.




Hypertension and Heart Failure


Book Description

This book explains how hypertension affects 20-50% of the adult population in developed countries. Heart failure is the result of the hypertension's effects on the heart and it represents a growing public health problem. In this context the international scientific community is continuously struggling to develop better strategies in screening, diagnosing and treating hypertension and its deleterious effects. Thus, this field is continuously changing, with new important information being added constantly. This volume will offer both insights into the intimate mechanisms of transition from hypertension to heart failure and clinical practice advice on the prevention and treatment of heart failure in hypertensive population. The mechanisms which explain the progression from hypertension to heart failure will be also covered exhaustively by offering two chapters referring to the diagnosis of heart failure in hypertensive population and one regarding echocardiography which is the most frequently used imaging method in clinical practice. The reader will be also provided with information on cardiovascular magnetic resonance which has the unique advantage of differentiating hypertensive heart failure from other pathologies associated with increased myocardial thickness. This book is a useful tool for clinicians but also to the research community interested in heart failure and consequences of hypertension on heart who want to be up-to-date with the new developments in the field.




Hypertension in the Dog and Cat


Book Description

This book provides an in-depth review on various aspects of canine and feline hypertension. Physiology, pathophysiology, epidemiology and pathological consequences of high blood pressure in cats and dogs are discussed. A comparative approach is taken, the underpinning research is critically evaluated and knowledge gaps identified. In addition, the reader is presented with evidence-based treatment strategies. The book targets researchers, graduate students and clinical specialists in small animal internal medicine as well as veterinary clinicians with interest in nephrology, cardiology, neurology and ophthalmology.




Genetics of Hypertension


Book Description

Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure, is a major risk factor for various cardiovascular, renal diseases, and stroke. The form of hypertension with no identifiable cause is referred to as Essential Hypertension. Familial studies indicate that Essential Hypertension is heritable and, thereby, classical genetic approaches have been applied on both human and other mammalian models of hypertension to map the locations of the allelic variants within quantitative trait loci for blood pressure. The post genome era has further elevated this area of research into large-scale genome-wide association studies of hypertension in humans. Collectively, these studies have resulted in the prioritization and cataloging of several genomic regions containing allelic variants as candidates linked or associated with essential hypertension. Further, they are providing evidence to suggest that the inheritance of hypertension is rather complex, encompassing multiple variants both within protein-coding and non-coding annotations, each of which may act independently or interactively with other genes and/or environmental factors to differentially regulate blood pressure. This book provides an overview of the various methods employed to study the genetics of hypertension and discuss the progress and prospects of this area of research that may contribute towards individualized clinical management of hypertension in the future.




Molecular Mechanism of Congenital Heart Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension


Book Description

This open access book focuses on the molecular mechanism of congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, offering new insights into the development of pulmonary circulation and the ductus arteriosus. It describes in detail the molecular mechanisms involved in the development and morphogenesis of the heart, lungs and ductus arteriosus, covering a range of topics such as gene functions, growth factors, transcription factors and cellular interactions, as well as stem cell engineering technologies. The book also presents recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of lung development, pulmonary hypertension and molecular regulation of the ductus arteriosus. As such, it is an ideal resource for physicians, scientists and investigators interested in the latest findings on the origins of congenital heart disease and potential future therapies involving pulmonary circulation/hypertension and the ductus arteriosus.




Kaplan's Clinical Hypertension


Book Description

Listed as the #1 reference book for hypertension by the American Society for Hypertension in 2006, this new edition presents up-to-date, practical, evidence-based recommendations for treatment and prevention of all forms of hypertension.




The Genetics of African Populations in Health and Disease


Book Description

A pioneering work that focuses on the unique diversity of African genetics, offering insights into human biology and genetic approaches.




Genetics of Fitness and Physical Performance


Book Description

Genetics of Fitness and Physical Performance is the first comprehensive reference on the role of the genes in influencing individual variation in fitness and performance. This essential compendium reviews the past 25 years of accumulated evidence on the genetic basis of health- and performance-related fitness phenotypes. Focusing on the interests of sport scientists, the authors provide insight into the significance of this research on nearly every aspect of the study of human physical activity. The book presents the biological basis of heredity and explains the concepts and methods of genetic epidemiology and molecular biology that are necessary to understand this specialized field. With the rapid advances in molecular biology and the paradigms of human genetics, exercise scientists face a dynamic and vibrant new field. This book offers readers new opportunities to better understand atherosclerosis, noninsulin dependent diabetes, obesity, and hypertension by searching for single gene effects and identifying susceptibility genes. The authors review the evidence on the role of the genes for human traits as it pertains to the exercise science field. And they explore the scientific, practical, and ethical issues that confront exercise scientists as progress is made in this field. Genetics of Fitness and Physical Performance is vital reading for scholars in the field of exercise and sport science to understand how recent discoveries in genetics might shape their future research.




Stroke Genetics


Book Description

Stroke is a major cause of death and the major cause of adult neurological disability in most of the world. Despite its importance on a population basis, research into the genetics of stroke has lagged behind that of many other disorders. However, the situation is now changing. An increasing number of single gene disorders causing stroke are being described, and there is growing evidence that polygenic factors are important in the risk of apparently "sporadic" stroke. Stroke Genetics provides an up-to-date review of the area, suitable for clinicians treating stroke patients, and both clinical and non-clinical researchers in the field of cerebrovascular disease. The full range of monogenic stroke disorders causing cerebrovascular disease, including ischaemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, are covered. For each, clinical features, diagnosis, and genetics are described. Increasing evidence suggest that genetic factors are also important for the much more common multifactorial stroke; this evidence is reviewed along with the results of genetic studies in this area. Optimal and novel strategies for investigating multifactorial stroke, including the use of intermediate phenotypes such as intima-media thickness and MRI detected small vessel disease are reviewed. The book concludes by describing a practical approach to investigating patients with stroke for underlying genetic disorders. Also included is a list of useful websites.




Advanced Therapy in Hypertension and Vascular Disease


Book Description

Provides a resource for health care professionals who evaluate and manage patients with hypertension. Topics include hypertension in adolescents, treatment of hypertension in athletes, hypertension and weight loss, salt and dietary change to control blood pressure, and more.