High Blood Pressure among Black Americans

Hypertension (hypertension) is a major health condition affecting many Americans. This health condition may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Normal blood pressure includes a value obtained by dividing systolic blood pressure by diastolic blood pressure, 120/80 mmHg (mm Hg). Hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure higher than 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mm Hg. Compared with other ethnic groups in the United States, high blood pressure has a major influence on the health of black Americans.

John Henry-Ism is my colleague, Sherman James of the University of Michigan explained the African-American hypertensive syndrome. He used a black sample attached to his name in North Carolina. John Henryism is an old fable, in which John Henry confirmed whether he could compete with a steam-driven piling driver to make the most bet in railroad construction. They walked towards it, steam-powered machines and John Henry advanced a different path. Then they insisted for days, days, and finally, John Henry won. Before the machine stopped, he opened another pile. But when he plays these gamblings he is already dead.

The prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) in African Americans is the highest in the world. More than 40% of non-Hispanic African-American men and women are high blood pressure. For African Americans, hypertension develops early in life and is usually more severe. This theory includes higher incidence of obesity and diabetes in African Americans. Researchers also discovered that there may be genes that make African Americans more sensitive to salt. For those with this gene, you can raise blood pressure by 5 mm Hg with just 1 gram (half a teaspoon) of salt.

Genetic factors The high prevalence of high blood pressure in African Americans is possibly due to the genetic makeup of African people. Researchers have discovered several facts: In the United States, blacks respond differently to others than to other people. Black Americans seem to be sensitive to salt, it increases the risk of hypertension. Environmental factors Some scientists believe that African-American hypertension is due to a unique factor in African-American experience. Blacks around the world have high blood pressure like white people. But in the United States, this difference is important. 41% of blacks are hypertensive, whites are 27%. In addition, black Americans are more likely to be overweight than the blacks of other countries. Some experts believe that social and economic factors, including discrimination and economic inequality, are the cause of this difference.