Study Says High Blood Pressure could be caused by a Herpes Virus

It was of all things a herpes virus that was studied.  The virus is potentially responsible for irritating the blood vessels, which in turn leads to high blood pressure, along with fatty diets added in here too.  So perhaps everyone with herpes should have their blood pressure checked routinely, but everyone should do that anyway. 

Vaccines and antiviral drugs could be a new way of treatment for Hypertension.  Several drug companies are working on the creation of a vaccine.  The connection between cholesterol with the virus also played an important role in the study as well.  BD  

CHICAGO (Reuters) – A common virus may be a major cause of high blood pressure, researchers said on Thursday in a finding that may bring new approach to treating a condition that affects an estimated 1 billion people worldwide.

Based on a series of studies in mice, they said cytomegalovirus or CMV -- a herpes virus that affects some 60 to 99 percent of adults globally -- appears to increase inflammation in blood vessels, causing high blood pressure.

And when combined with a fatty diet, CMV may also cause hardening of the arteries, a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease, they said.

"I think it could be very important," said Dr. Clyde Crumpacker of Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, who worked on the study in the Public Library of Science Journal PLoS Pathogens.

Common virus may cause high blood pressure: study

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