The International Consortium for Blood Pressure Genome-Wide Association Studies conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic variants influencing blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. The study included 200,000 individuals of European descent and identified 16 novel loci associated with blood pressure, six of which contain genes previously known or suspected to regulate blood pressure. A genetic risk score based on 29 significant variants was associated with hypertension, left ventricular wall thickness, stroke, and coronary artery disease but not kidney disease or kidney function. The findings provide new insights into the genetics and biology of blood pressure and suggest potential therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disease prevention. The study also found associations with blood pressure in individuals of East Asian, South Asian, and African ancestry, highlighting the importance of diverse populations in GWAS.The International Consortium for Blood Pressure Genome-Wide Association Studies conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic variants influencing blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. The study included 200,000 individuals of European descent and identified 16 novel loci associated with blood pressure, six of which contain genes previously known or suspected to regulate blood pressure. A genetic risk score based on 29 significant variants was associated with hypertension, left ventricular wall thickness, stroke, and coronary artery disease but not kidney disease or kidney function. The findings provide new insights into the genetics and biology of blood pressure and suggest potential therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disease prevention. The study also found associations with blood pressure in individuals of East Asian, South Asian, and African ancestry, highlighting the importance of diverse populations in GWAS.