β1 and β2 Adrenergic receptor polymorphisms: their impact on cardiovascular physiology, disease states, and response to therapeutic agents

The human genome project may revolutionize our understanding of many cardiovascular diseases and the medications we use to treat them. Why are there variations in disease severity? What causes disease progression in some individuals but not others? Why are there such dramatic differences in response to some therapeutic agents? The human genome project may soon help us answer these questions for patients with disorders ranging from hypertension to congestive heart failure.