Hypertension is a major public health problem.
Afflicting more than 15 percent of the population, it is the most significant risk factor in cardiovascular disease and the major cause of heart failure, kidney failure, and stroke. Notwithstanding its importance, the primary determinants of essential hypertension, which represents 95 percent of the hypertensive population, have not been elucidated. Recently, the AT 2 R was cloned.