Congress Reports

American Society of Hypertension
21st Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition
Characterizing the Hypertension Phenotype
Hilton New York, New York City
Tuesday, May 16 - Saturday, May 20, 2006
 
 
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Racial and gender disparities in hypertension development in American Indians

Racial differences in the development of hypertension and different risk factors being more predictive in men than in women was suggested by the Strong Heart Study, the largest epidemiological study of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in the American Indian community. The findings were presented by Dr. Peng Li at the 21st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension and reported in a press release from the society.

Dr. Li, Oklahoma State Department of Health, explained, “There is limited information available concerning CVD and risk factors such as hypertension in this at-risk population.  Our findings indicate racial and gender disparities in incidence rates of developing hypertension, necessitating further population-specific research into which risk factors are most predictive.” 

The annual incidence rate of hypertension was 6.4% (6.7% in men and 6.2% in women), using JNC-VII criteria.

Significantly related to the onset of hypertension were:

  • Baseline prehypertension
  • Albuminuria
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity (BMI >=30)
  • Waist-hip ratio
  • Percent of body fat

Baseline blood pressure, especially systolic, was a significant predictor of hypertension, using stepwise logistic regression models. The relationships between smoking and alcohol drinking with hypertension in this population were not clear.

In this NHLBI-supported study, 4,549 American Indians (1,846 men and 2,703 women) participated in a baseline examination between July 1989 and January 1992 to determine the presence of specific risk factors. Of them, 3,638 (1,384 men and 2,254 women) survivors underwent a second examination between July 1993 and December 1995. Among them, 2,249 (838 males and 1,411 females) participants who were free of hypertension at baseline, and who participated in the second examination were included in the estimation of hypertension incidence rate. The average follow-up time between the baseline and second examination was 3.9 years.

 
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