Studying new-borns to understand the causes of high blood pressure

The role of capillary rarefaction in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension: insights from studies in new born infants

Adults with high blood pressure have a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, or of having a heart attack or stroke. Understanding the causes of high blood pressure is vital to developing new treatments to prevent these life-threatening conditions. In recent years, the research community has turned its attention to looking at the microcirculation. The microcirculation is made up of tiny vessels called capillaries and arterioles that supply organs and tissues with oxygen-rich blood. If these become damaged, high blood pressure can develop. A team from St George’s University of London has been awarded 3 years of funding to study the microcirculation. An important abnormality that may develop is a reduced number of these tiny vessels in a particular part of the circulation. The research team will study new-born babies who are at risk of developing high blood pressure later in life, because they have a low birth weight or their mother has high blood pressure. They will assess over 1,000 new-borns from St George’s Hospital in London at time of birth and for 1 year afterwards to follow how their capillaries and arterioles develop. The longer-term plan is to continue to follow these individuals into later life to monitor for the onset of any heart or circulatory disease. This research will benefit not only affected new-borns, but will also apply to understanding and improving the treatment of high blood pressure in adults.