Combined Exposure of Cold and Hypoxia: A Driver for Hypertension and the Underlying Role of the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

Exposure to cold or hypoxia is well acknowledged as a risk factor for the development of hypertension. Their combined exposure is common in plateau environments, which may contribute to the higher prevalence of hypertension there. However, the evidence is scarce, especially the related mechanisms. Here, in this study, we established a hypertension rat model by combined exposure to cold and hypoxia to explore the the possible role of microbiota-gut-brain in this hypertension pathogenesis.