Antihypertensive peptides from food proteins

Hypertension or elevated blood pressure (BP) is a global health concern, thought to affect up to 30 % of the adult population in developed and developing countries. It is defined by a BP measurement of 140/90 mmHg or above. Hypertension is a major risk factor concomitant with cardiovascular disease (CVD) states such as coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease and stroke, and kidney disease. Essential hypertension, the most common type of hypertension and to which 90-95% of cases belong, is manifested as an increase in an individual’s BP due to an unknown cause. This class of hypertension can be improved with lifestyle choices such as regular exercise, heart-healthy eating, non smoking, reducing sodium intake and reducing the level of stress [1]. For these reasons it is defined as a controllable risk factor of CVD. At present there is a range of synthetic drugs on the market for treatment of hypertension including diuretics, adrenergic inhibitors such as α- and β- blockers, direct vasodilators, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. However, although hypertension can be controlled by pharmacological agents, it represents a major burden on annual global healthcare costs. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [2], it was estimated that hypertension-related costs reached $76.6 billion in the USA in 2010. It is thought that prevention through lifestyle choices and early treatment for individuals with mild hypertension can significantly reduce global health-care costs.