Blood pressure therapy differs among races

LONDON (UPI) — Blacks and South Asians in Britain are not benefiting as much as white people from medical interventions to reduce high blood pressure, researchers say.

Dr. Christopher Millett of Imperial College London examined the treatment of more than 8,800 people with high blood pressure at 16 family doctor practices in southwest London in 2005.

The study, published in the Annals of Family Medicine, found that despite considerable efforts to improve the treatment of high blood pressure in Britain, including new performance-related pay measures for doctors, differences in management between white, black and south Asian patients have persisted.

Black patients previously diagnosed with high blood pressure were significantly less likely to achieve an established target for their blood pressure than white or south Asian patients, the study said.

White patients who had high blood pressure and also two or more cardiovascular problems showed significantly improved blood pressure control, but South Asian patients with poorly controlled high blood pressure were prescribed fewer blood pressure lowering medications than their black or white peers, added Millett, the lead author.