Arterial hypertension is associated with high morbidity and mortality indices and constitutes a major health problem worldwide, specially due to its high prevalence and low rate of control with the standard treatment. This problem can be explained, at least in part, because we still use empiric measures when choosing treatment options, instead of a rational approach for each case. The determinants of the hypertension remain unknown in the majority of patients and is designated as essential or primary hypertension. Hypertension is a model of complex disease in which several genes may be affected and influenced by a variety of environmental interactions, such as diet, salt and obesity, among others. The use of molecular biology strategies is offering new opportunities for the understanding of complex biological phenomena, like hypertension. However, only in a minority of cases, arterial hypertension occurs by individual specific mutations, called mendelian forms of hypertension, involving distal nefron transporter gene products. These syndromes are of particular interest since they highlight the importance of cell pathways that can be affected in the more common forms of hypertension.
Arterial hypertension; Glucocorticoid-suppressible hyperaldosteronism; Apparent mineralocorticoid excess; Liddle's syndrome; Pheochromocytoma; Multiple endocrine neoplasia
