Genes Drive Blood Pressure Meds

Reported September 14, 2007

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- If you've been on blood pressure drugs for a while, you've probably been through several different medications as your doctor worked to find the one that was right for you.

Now researchers are finding out why some of these drugs work well for one person, while others are needed to help someone else. It's all in the genes.

In a study conducted by investigators from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the University of Texas, Houston, and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., genetic comparisons yielded new information showing certain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the adducin 2 gene react differently to different hypertension drugs.
 

For example, three of the SNPs caused different reactions to beta-blockers when compared to diuretics, two different types of medication used to lower blood pressure. Two other SNPs were linked to different reactions in those on another class of medications --renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors -- versus those on diuretics.

Researchers also suggest these genetic differences affect people who aren't on blood pressure drugs differently than those who are.

The researchers admit it will take some time to untangle all of these genetic effects on blood pressure medications, but report they believe this line of science holds out hope for better drugs in the future, which could tailor-made for individual genetic types.

"Our findings suggest that hypertension candidate gene variation may influence [blood pressure] responses to specific antihypertensive drug therapies and measurement of genetic variation may assist in identifying subgroups of hypertensive patients who will benefit most from particular antihypertensive drug therapies," write study authors.

SOURCE: BMC Medical Genetics, published online Sept. 12, 2007