Relationship of Genes and Life Events to Blood Pressure

Research suggests that blood pressure is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The goal of this study is to find genes that play a role in blood pressure and understand how they interact with life events (such as job stress) to influence blood pressure. We hypothesize that the gene for endothelin-1 is associated with increased blood pressure. Further, we predict that this genetic relationship is moderated by psychosocial stress factors, specifically job strain and marital cohesion.