title: Inflammation in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension.
abstract: In spite of the huge amount of research recently performed in this area, the pathogenesis of human hypertension remains elusive. Thus, hypertension has to be defined as "essential" for the majority of patients with high blood pressure. Given the lack of animal models useful to investigate essential hypertension, we analyze and discuss both clinical and basic research studies indicating that essential hypertension should be considered as a potential multifactorial inflammatory disease. The pathophysiology of essential hypertension might result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Morphological abnormalities in the renal parenchyma and arteries have also been shown to determine hypertension. Inflammatory processes might induce renal vasoconstriction, ischemia and injury that can sustain systemic hypertension. Arterial and tubulointerstitial infiltration of inflammatory cells in response to renal damage might further increase renal and vascular alterations through the production of oxidants and other soluble inflammatory mediators. The present review gives an update regarding the latest research on the possible direct role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Foundation for Medical Researches, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland. fabrizio.montecucco@unige.ch
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montecucco
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pende
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quercioli
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators