Washington, Dec 17: A form of high blood pressure and subsequent cardiovascular events is influenced by disturbances in the body’s 24-hour clock, a new study finds.
Previous studies had linked the malfunction of the body clock, responsible for certain changes in the body chemistry, to many diseases.
According to the study published in Nature Medicine, the circadian clock directly controls a gene with a key role in the production of the aldosterone, a hormone which regulates blood pressure through prompting water retention in the kidneys.
Any disturbances in the circadian rhythms, therefore, alters the production of aldosterone leading to high blood pressure and consequently conditions such as heart attack, stroke and kidney damage in the long run.
Scientists concluded that the findings of their study explains the increased risk of heart diseases among shift workers, long-distance flight crews and individuals with sleep disorders.
–Agencies