The Article in Brief

Racial Disparity in Hypertension Control: Tallying the Death Toll

Kevin Fiscella , and colleague

Background Hypertension (high blood pressure) contributes to cardiovascular disease. Among people being treated for hypertension, blacks have worse blood pressure control, and uncontrolled hypertension accounts for up to one-quarter of all deaths in black adults. This study looks at differences in blood pressure control among whites and blacks with hypertension and the effect of these differences on the rate of death among blacks.

What This Study Found In the United States, the average blood pressure among blacks with hypertension is higher than for whites with hypertension. A reduction in blood pressure among blacks would reduce the annual number of black deaths from heart disease by 5,590, and from stroke by 2,190.

Implications

• Eliminating racial disparity in blood pressure control among adults with hypertension would substantially reduce the number of black deaths from heart disease and stroke.
• Researchers need to better understand the causes of these inequalities and develop strategies to eliminate them.