Study on Genetic Markers for Essential Hypertension

Studies on genetic markers for essential hypertension are useful in planning to prevent normotensive children from developing hypertension in adult life. Urinary kallikrein or dopamine excretion has been reported to be a good genetic marker in adults, however, either was not low in children with a family history of essential hypertension, suggesting that these endocrinological factors may not be genetic markers for essential hypertension. On the other hand, a family history of essential hypertension significantly influenced erythrocyte sodium transport （number of sodium pump sites and erythrocyte Na/K flux ratio）. Therefore, abnormal sodium transport in erythrocytes may present biochemical markers of essential hypertension and may have a significant relevance to the development of hypertension in adult life