Abstract
Among cardiovascular diseases, hypertension is the most important risk factor for morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its pathogenesis is complex, involving genetic, dietary and environmental factors. The characteristics of the gut microbiota can vary in response to increased blood pressure (BP) and influence the development and progression of hypertension. This paper describes five aspects of the relationship between hypertension and the gut microbiota, namely, the different types of gut microbiota, metabolites of the gut microbiota, sympathetic activation, gut-brain interactions, the effects of exercise and dietary patterns and the treatment of the gut microbiota through probiotics, faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and herbal remedies, providing new clues for the future prevention of hypertension. Diet, exercise and traditional Chinese medicine may contribute to long-term improvements in hypertension, although the effects of probiotics and FMT still need to be validated in large populations.