Ethnic groups and differences in hypertension

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7545.0-c

BMJ 2006;332 (8 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7545.0-c

Ethnic groups and differences in hypertension

On p 833, Brown discusses the evidence for differences betweenethnic groups in terms of pathogenesis, prevalence, complications,and treatment of hypertension. Hypertension in young white peopleseems to be high renin (type 1) hypertension and best respondsto treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and $beta$ blockers (AB drugs). Hypertension in young black people, however,seems to be low renin (type 2) hypertension and responds betterto calcium channel blockers and diuretics (CD drugs). Differencesin responses to treatment are yet to be studied in most ethnicgroups and are important for our understanding of hypertension,says the author.