Environmental Hypertensionology and the Mosaic Theory of Hypertension.

Abstract

Hypertension is a multifactorial condition influenced by the intricate interplay of biological and genetic determinants. The growing field of Environmental Hypertensionology endorses the outsized role of environmental factors in the pathogenesis and exacerbation of hypertension. It provides a clinical approach to address these factors at the individual and societal levels. Environmental stressors contributing to blood pressure levels can be viewed within the mosaic model of hypertension, which offers a comprehensive framework for understanding blood pressure regulation through its connection with multiple other nodes causally related to the pathogenesis of hypertension. This review synthesizes growing evidence supporting the impact of several factors in the physical environment and adverse stressors embedded in key provisioning systems, including air, noise, and chemical pollution, along with aspects of the built environment, green spaces, food systems, on the global burden of hypertension. Although many factors may not be directly in the causal cascade of hypertension, the web of connections between many behooves an understanding of the important nodes for intervention. Public health strategies emphasizing the redesign of environments present an unprecedented opportunity to enhance global hypertension control rates. Future research should thus focus on integrating environmental risk assessment and interventions into clinical practice, optimizing urban planning, and public policy to achieve meaningful reductions in the global burden of hypertension. By understanding hypertension as a mosaic of interconnected causes, healthcare professionals are better equipped to individualize treatment, combining lifestyle interventions and multiple drug classes to target environmental and genetic factors driving high blood pressure.