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(Hypertension. 2002;40:229.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.

Brief Review

Chronology Versus Biology

Telomeres, Essential Hypertension, and Vascular Aging

From the Hypertension Research Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ.

Correspondence to Abraham Aviv, MD, Room F-464, MSB, Hypertension Research Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103. E-mail avivab{at}umdnj.edu

There is considerable evidence that essential hypertension is closely linked to the growth, development, and aging of human beings. It is imperative, therefore, to introduce biological indicators of growth and aging into models developed to provide a better understanding of the etiology of essential hypertension. One of these indicators may well be the age-dependent telomere attrition rate in somatic cells. Telomere attrition registers the replicative history of somatic cells. As such, it chronicles not only the growth that results from the replication of somatic cells but also their turnover—a process that is strongly linked to inflammation and oxidative stress, which are key factors in the biology of human aging.

Key Words: hypertension, essential • aging • genetics • oxidative stress • cardiovascular diseases

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