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Ethnic Differences in Childhood Blood Pressure

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Pediatric Hypertension

Part of the book series: Clinical Hypertension and Vascular Diseases ((CHVD))

Abstract

Ethnic differences in essential hypertension (EH) and blood pressure-related morbidity and mortality are well established. According to the 2009 report from the American Heart Association (1), the prevalence of essential hypertension in blacks in the United States is among the highest in the world and continues to increase. From 1988–1994 to 1999–2002, the prevalence of EH in black adults increased by 5.6% (35.8–41.4%), and it was particularly high among black women at 44.0%. In contrast, the prevalence among white adults increased by only 1.8% (24.3–28.1%) (2). Hypertension in blacks contributed to a 1.3 times greater rate of nonfatal stroke, a 1.8 times greater rate of fatal stroke, a 1.5 times greater rate of heart disease death, and a 4.2 times greater rate of end-stage kidney disease (1).

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  1. Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia, The Georgia Prevention Institute, Augusta, GA, USA

    Gregory A. Harshfield PhD

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Correspondence to Gregory A. Harshfield PhD .

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  1. , Division of Nephrology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Sand Point Way NE. 4800, Seattle, 98105, Washington, USA

    Joseph T. Flynn

  2. Massachusetts General Hospital, Fruit St. 55, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Julie R. Ingelfinger

  3. Global Clinical Research, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Route 206 & Provinceline Road, Princeton, 08543, New Jersey, USA

    Ronald J. Portman

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Harshfield, G.A. (2011). Ethnic Differences in Childhood Blood Pressure. In: Flynn, J., Ingelfinger, J., Portman, R. (eds) Pediatric Hypertension. Clinical Hypertension and Vascular Diseases. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-824-9_16

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