Genetic and environmental approaches to the prevention of hypertension

While the familial and genetic nature of hypertension has long been recognized, the mechanisms involved are not clear. Recent studies suggest that an environmental factor, increased dietary sodium intake, may be required for the expression of this genetically determined form of hypertension. The evidence for this conclusion is based on physiological studies of humoral factors, renal function and the blood pressure response to sodium and volume expansion and reduction in several carefully characterized human populations.