VDR and hypertensive disorder: A number of ways by which low circulating 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with CVD have been proposed and include: the direct role of vitamin D in the regulation of renin-angiotensin axis by suppressing the renin gene expression [25], the presence of vitamin D receptors on vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells [26], and the direct influence of vitamin D status on hypertension [27].