Two hypertension cohorts were examined-new antihypertensive drug users (incident hypertension) and patients requiring titration to a fourth antihypertensive (incident treatment-resistant hypertension [TRH]).
Five polymorphisms in five genes, CAST(calpastatin), LIPC (hepatic lipase), SLC4A1 (band 3 anion transporter), TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone), and VWF (von Willebrand factor), were significantly associated with both blood pressure variation and hypertension.
As it has been demonstrated that hypertensive patients have a blunted TSH response to TRH injection, suggesting a defect in the TRHR, we postulate that the TRHR gene is involved in human hypertension.
To summarize, central TRH overproduction in periventricular areas induced by I.C.V. transfection produces hypertension in rats which is reversed by specific antisense treatment.
In addition, intraventricular administration of TRH, LHRH or LH caused tachycardia, hypertension and a reduction in the epinephrine-induced reflex bradycardia.