title: Hydrogen sulfide in hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hypertension is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease, and strict blood pressure regulation is beneficially associated with the risk for cardiovascular events or all-cause mortality. However, intensive antihypertensive treatment is not always sufficient to reach normotension. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gaseous signalling molecule with antihypertensive properties. It is endogenously produced, but can also be exogenously administrated. The current review provides an overview on H2S research performed in the context of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H2S has been increasingly found to contribute to different (patho-)physiological processes such as blood pressure regulation and scavenging of reactive oxygen species. A deficiency of H2S-producing enzymes results in hypertension, and administration of H2S donors lowers blood pressure and protects against organ damage in the experimental setting. Thiosulfate, a H2S metabolite, can act as a H2S donor, and is already clinically used for the treatment of calciphylaxis in patients with end-stage renal disease. Treatment of hypertensive rats with thiosulfate results in lower blood pressure and reduces organ damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although human data on H2S and hypertension are scarce, experimental data indicate that elevation of H2S levels using dietary sulfate or exogenous H2S (donors) could be a promising therapeutic strategy in the setting of hypertension.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Pathology and Medical Biology, Division of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen bDepartment of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Goor
authors.forename: Joost C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: van den Born
authors.forename: Jan-Luuk
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hillebrands
authors.forename: Jaap A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Joles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D013885:Thiosulfates / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D013885:Thiosulfates; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide