Recent advances in hypertension: 12th Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension, Kyoto, Japan, May 22?26, 1988

Abstract

The biennial scientific meeting of the International Society of Hypertension is rightly regarded as the premier international hypertension congress. It attracts researchers in hypertension at all levels, ranging from basic molecular biology and cell biochemistry up to and including epidemiology. This year, the congress took place in an idyllic setting, in a functionally nearperfect congress hall in the middle of beautiful Takaragaike park in Kyoto. The organization, by Professors Kaneko, Omae, and their colleagues, was outstanding.A total of 1,448 abstracts was received from 45 countries. 370 (26%) papers were accepted for the main meeting either as oral (60) or poster (310) presentations. In addition there were 24 satellite symposia which allowed some additional 350 abstracts to be accepted for presentation.A selection from this wealth of material can only be somewhat arbitrary. I believe, however, that two of the clearly defined research areas in which significant advances were reported were, first, factors affecting the rate of growth of vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiac myocytes, and second, new cell peptides concerned with vascular contractility.