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Comparison of black and white patients attending hypertension clinics in England
Insights
Black patients with hypertension showed distinct physiological differences compared to white patients, including higher blood pressure in women and altered biochemical markers. However, no racial differences in treatment response were observed over 1.7 years.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Nephrology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hypertension and associated mortality are reportedly more prevalent in Black populations compared to White populations.
- Existing research indicates potential disparities in hypertension prevalence and outcomes between racial groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical characteristics, risk factors, and treatment responses of Black and White patients attending hypertension clinics.
- To investigate racial differences in physiological markers and disease progression in hypertensive individuals.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 135 Black patients and age-, sex-, and clinic-matched White patients at three English hospitals.
- Data collection included blood pressure, weight, medical history, urinalysis, cardiac assessments (heart size, left ventricular voltage), and biochemical profiles (hemoglobin, lipids, globulins).
- Patient outcomes and treatment responses were monitored over an average of 1.7 years.
Main Results:
- Black women exhibited higher blood pressure and greater weight than White women; no significant differences were found between Black and White men.
- Black patients showed higher incidences of proteinuria and nocturia, but lower rates of urinary infections.
- Elevated heart size and left ventricular voltage were noted in Black patients, alongside lower hemoglobin, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, but higher serum globulin concentrations.
- No significant differences in treatment response were attributed to race, although Black men had a slightly higher initial default rate.
Conclusions:
- While Black patients with hypertension present with specific physiological and biochemical variations compared to White patients, these differences did not translate into disparate treatment responses over the study period.
- Further research is warranted to understand the long-term implications of these observed racial variations in hypertension management and outcomes.
Abstract:
Reports suggest that hypertension and death due to hypertensive disease are commoner among black than among white people. One hundred and thirty-five black patients attending hypertension clinics at three English hospitals were compared with age-, sex-, and clinicmatched white patients. The black women had higher blood pressures and weighed more than the white women, but there were no differences between the men. The black patients had not increased risk from family, obstetric, or smoking history. Proteinuria and nocturia were more common in black patients while urinary infections were less common. Heart size and left ventricular voltage were greater in black patients. Haemoglobin and plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were smaller and serum globulin concentration greater in black patients. No difference in response to treatment, attributable to race, was observed during the period of clinic attendance, which averaged 1.7 years. There was a slightly greater rate of default among black men during the first year of attendance.