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Physiological and pharmacological studies of hormones, drugs, and neurotransmitters often generate families of sigmoidal dose-response curves. Optimally efficient data analysis should involve simultaneous description of all curves, rather than fitting each one individually. We have developed a general computerized method to describe the dose-response curves in terms of basal and maximal responses, ED50, and curve shape or steepness. This facile method permits rigorous statistical analysis, provides a basis for pooling of information from separate experiments, and allows one to test which characteristics are shared by various curves.

High blood pressure is a highly heritable and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We report the largest genetic association study of blood pressure traits (systolic, diastolic, pulse pressure) to date in over one million people of European ancestry. We identify 535 novel blood pressure loci that not only offer new biological insights into blood pressure regulation but also reveal shared genetic architecture between blood pressure and lifestyle exposures. Our findings identify new biological pathways for blood pressure regulation with potential for improved cardiovascular disease prevention in the future.

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