Most of us call it "high blood pressure" not hypertension – but did you know it's also known as the "silent killer"? You see, people can have hypertension for years without knowing it – and, without treatment, it can cause heart attack, stroke, and kidney and heart failure. Did you also know that some people have a higher tendency to develop hypertension than others, based on their lifestyles or ethnicity? The Hypertension Division is committed to challenging the threat of this insidious disease. Our hypertension research initiatives are focused on determining the molecular basis for factors leading to the development of hypertension and the evaluation of antihypertensive agents on patients. The National Institutes of Health funds the majority of the research, while pharmaceutical companies provide ongoing support for clinical trials of antihypertensive agents.

Hypertension Division current research initiatives:

• Receptor and signaling mechanisms in vasoactive hormones
• Kidney disease/hypertension in African Americans
• Antihypertensive and lipid lowering heart attack prevention
• Molecular mechanisms of guanylate cyclase activation evaluation
• Genetics of salt sensitivity