Heritability of Blood Pressure Among Random Adult Individuals of South Indian States

Abstract

Hypertension is considered to be a major health concern and a threat for mortality and morbidity in individuals caused due to myocardial infarction, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Our study comprises of 200 randomly chosen nuclear families from five different South Indian states during the period of June, 2016 to December, 2017. A total of 750 individuals (both parents and off spring) are studied. About 103 families are selected from Telangana State, 25 families from Andhra Pradesh State, 13 families from Tamil Nadu State, 35 families from Karnataka State and 24 families from Kerala State. Information is gathered from each member of the family and Blood Pressure is measured. A linear fit is tried and regression coefficients are estimated and found to be significant using student's t F-test. The linear equation Y = a + bx is taken where x is mid parental value and Y is average of offspring and regression of offspring on mid parental value is equal to heritability. The regression coefficient and R2 values (0.271, t and F; P < 0.05 and 0.074) for diastolic blood pressure are higher than those values (0.083, t and F; P<0.05 and 0.031) for systolic blood pressure indicating that Diastolic blood pressure is more genetically determined than Systolic blood pressure.