title: Nutritional factors in the pathobiology of human essential hypertension.
abstract: Endothelial cells produce vasodilator and vasoconstrictor substances. Dietary factors such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, vitamins A, C, and E, and essential fatty acids and their products such as eicosanoids can influence blood pressure, cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases, and concentrations of blood lipids and atherosclerosis. There might be a close interaction between these dietary factors, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, the metabolism of essential fatty acids, nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and endothelium in human essential hypertension. A deficiency in any one factor, dietary or endogenous, or alterations in their interactions with each other, can lead to endothelial dysfunction and development of hypertension. Therefore, alterations in the metabolism of essential fatty acids might be a predisposing factor to the development of essential hypertension and insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: EFA Sciences LLC, Norwood, Massachusetts 02062, USA. undurti@hotmail.com
authors.forename: U N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015777:Eicosanoids; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D009569:Nitric Oxide