Genomics and epigenomics of hypertension

Hypertension is the most common risk factor for stroke, heart disease, and end-stage renal disease. Despite significant advances in the characterization of the physiological mechanisms that govern the regulation of blood pressure, the genetic and molecular bases of hypertension remain poorly understood. The completion of the draft sequence of the human genome, and recent advances in the identification and characterization of patterns of sequence variation in human populations, hold the promise that hypertension genomics will offer significant insights into disease pathophysiology and open new avenues for the development of novel therapeutic modalities. However, the emergence of the epigenotype as a major determinant of disease is likely to transform our genome-centric approaches toward more integrative and comprehensive strategies. This review provides an overview of the current progress of and future prospects for the application of genomic and epigenomic sciences to hypertension research.