Scientists have identified a number of genes that appear to influence a person's risk of developing high blood pressure.
An international study published in Nature journal found that common genetic factors in 28 regions of DNA are associated with blood pressure in humans.
The research looked at the genes of more than 275,000 people from around the world and uncovered an important new physiological pathway involved in the control of blood pressure - a discovery that could pave the way for the development of new treatments.
Dr Christopher Newton-Cheh, senior author from Massachusetts General Hospital in the US, said: 'Identifying these novel pathways expands our current understanding of the determinants of blood pressure and highlights potential targets for new drugs to treat and prevent cardiovascular complications.'
A second paper published in the journal Nature Genetics also uncovered six novel genetic variants that play an important role in high blood pressure.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which co-funded both studies, said that millions of people in the UK have high blood pressure.
'But your genes are only one piece of the puzzle,' he noted. 'You are less likely to have high blood pressure if you stick to a healthy diet, do plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy weight.'