Genes linked to high blood pressure in black patients

About 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure. It is more common in blacks than in whites. The disease is also more severe and happens at a younger age in blacks. Lifestyle factors, like diet and obesity, may explain some of this difference. But genes may play an important role. Prior studies have found genes linked to high blood pressure. The largest study found several genes linked to blood pressure in Europeans. But it is not clear if these genes also affect blood pressure in other racial or ethnic groups. This project will use BioVU samples to find genes linked to high blood pressure in black patients. The findings may help us understand why high blood pressure affects blacks differently than whites.