Genes and environment in blood pressure control—salt intake again shows its importance

摘要

Our patients constantly struggle with uncertainty as they estimate their health risks across the continuum from having total control over their destiny (ie, "you are what you eat") to complete capitulation (ie, "it's all in your genes"). So it is with the risk of hypertension—is it affected most by environmental influences, such as excess salt and calorie intake and a dearth of physical activity, or by our genetic make-up?