Current perspectives on the use of gene therapy for hypertension

Systemic hypertension is a pathophysiological state that is manifested as h igh blood pressure and is a major I risk factor for stroke, ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and progressive renal damage, Pulmona ry hypertension occurs in 3 distinct forms: primary pulmonary hyper-tension , pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, or secondary pulmonary hypertensio n attributable to a variety of lung and cardiovascular diseases, This revie w discusses the use of gene therapy in the control of systemic and pulmonar y hypertension. Overexpression of vasodilator genes as well as antisense kn ockdown of vasoconstrictor genes has been successfully used in animal model s of both forms of hypertension. Furthermore, the use of viral vectors to d eliver these constructs has achieved long-term control of hypertension. The successful establishment of gene therapy techniques in the animal models o f hypertension coupled with the anticipated advances in the genetic aspects of this disease would make it highly feasible to attempt gene delivery in the control of human hypertension.