In the advanced stage of hypertension at week 82, cardiac hypertrophy of our untreated oSHRs had achieved a markedly higher degree than in young animals, as reflected by the significantly higher values of ANP mRNA expression (20 times higher than in yCtrls) and HW/BW (more than 30% higher than in yCtrls). The gene discussed is NPPA; the disease is hypertensive disorder.