The cardiovascular response to postural change as a function of race

Little is known about racial differences in cardiovascular responses to postural change. The immediate and delayed change from sitting to standing was studied in 207 healthy young Asian, black, and white men and women by means of a noninvasive blood pressure tracking system. Whereas Asians and whites had decreased mean arterial pressure (MAP) 32-41 s after standing, blacks had an increase. During the delayed response (3 min after standing), compared to Asians and whites, blacks had greater increases in diastolic blood pressure and MAP. Their heart rate increase was also greater than Asians. For systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure there were Race x Family History interactions for the immediate response to orthostasis and Race x Gender interactions for the delayed response. Blacks generally displayed different cardiovascular patterns from the other two racial groups, possibly reflecting increased peripheral resistance and altered baroreceptor function.