Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Lean and obese, male and female subjects of all races between 18 and 65 years of age. * Normotensive and hypertensive subjects will be enrolled. Hypertension will be defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg and/or a diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg, taken in the seated position in at least 2 separate occasions. All subjects will be otherwise normal volunteers. * Subjects able and willing to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy. * Subjects with morbid obesity (BMI \> 40 kg/m2). * Subjects with any chronic disease (other than hypertension) including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, history of smoking, or if they take any medication that have known effects autonomic functions, or other factors which in the investigator's opinion would prevent the subject from completing the protocol including clinically significant abnormalities in clinical, mental or laboratory testing. * Current smokers or history of heavy smoking (\>2 packs/day) * Lean normotensive subjects will be excluded if they have a strong family history of hypertension (both parents treated or diagnosed), diagnosis of sleep apnea or a high score in the Berlin questionnaire for sleep apnea, or if they are highly trained athletes.