Blood Pressure and Hypertensive Disease Among Negroes and Whites

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Abstract
An epidemiological study was conducted from 1960-1962. The study population, identified by census, consisted of the segment aged 40-74 years, and a 50% random sample of the segment aged 15-39 years. Of 3377 persons eligible, 3102 (92%) were examined. Approximately 38% of the study population were Negroes. Negroes were found to have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than whites for both males and females and for all age groups. The differences were large and highly significant. Age-specific prevalence ratios of complications of hypertension including left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiac enlargement, proteinuria, and eyeground abnormalities were also found to be higher among Negroes than whites. The single casual blood pressure determination was found to be a valid index of hypertensive disease in this population. Differences in treating hypertension, social class, occupation, arm circumference, or body weight could not account for the racial difference in hypertension. Preliminary impressions suggest that differences in sodium intake do not account for the differences in blood pressure between Negroes and whites. A tentative explanation of the racial difference in blood pressure has been based upon the inheritance of a single hypertensive gene. This is an hypothesis and can only be tested in future study, although support for it can be found in these data.

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