Mothers with a certain genetic mutation may pass the tendency to develop high blood pressure on to their children, according to a new study.  Researchers from the U.S., China, and Austria made the discovery after focusing on a five-generation Chinese family. Many of its members who descended from the same female ancestor had high blood pressure.


The researchers found in these people a genetic mutation that affects the mitochondria. These are the ''powerhouses'' of the cells that convert energy into useable forms. The discovery suggests that a mitochondrial DNA mutation could be the basis for high blood pressure in some people.  "This mutation can reduce the cellular energy production," says researcher Min-Xin Guan, PhD, a professor of genetics at Zhejiang University in China. That increases the production of free radicals, substances which can be damaging to cells, his team found.

''These mitochondrial dysfunctions may contribute to the development of hypertension," Guan writes.
More than 60 million people in the U.S. have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. More than two-thirds require medication for the condition. Untreated high blood pressure increases the risk for both stroke and heart attack.

Source: WebMD
The new study is published in Circulation Research, a journal of the American Heart Association.