Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association Rapid Access Reports: Hispanics' Hypertension Better Controlled With Equal Acce...(he largest ethnic minority in the United...),Health

"Hispanics are less likely to have health insurance or a regular source of medical care and are less likely to receive preventive services. This suggests methods we can use to attack the problem of blood pressure control in Hispanic populations."

Efforts to improve blood pressure control in Hispanics should also focus on improving hypertension knowledge and awareness, doctor-patient communication, access to medical care and affordable medications, the researchers concluded.

"Physicians treating Hispanic hypertension patients should treat them with the same medications as non-Hispanics," she said. "If they use the right medications with aggressive follow-up, Hispanic patients' blood pressure can be controlled just as well as non-Hispanics.'"

"The Hispanic population needs to know that high blood pressure is a serious and common problem and must be treated," Margolis said.

Co-authors are Linda B. Piller, M.D., M.P.H.; Charles E. Ford, Ph.D.; Mario A. Henriquez, M.D.; William C. Cushman, M.D.; Paula T. Einhorn, M.D., M.S.; Pedro J. Colon Sr., M.D.; Donald G. Vidt, M.D.; Rudell Christian, M.P.H.; Nathan D. Wong, Ph.D.; Jackson Wright, M.D., Ph.D.; and David C. Goff Jr., M.D., Ph.D.

The ALLHAT study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Statements and conclusions of study authors that are published in the American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The American Heart Association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliab
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