High Blood Pressure Among African American Essay

Blood pressure measurements on adult males 30-39 years of age were obtained in a survey of a representative sample of Twin Cities households. To compare the frequency of hypertension in the white and non-white population surveyed, the most appropriate measure is the

According to the office of the minority health, approximately 48% of African American women and 44% of African American men suffer from some form of the cardiovascular disease which includes heart disease and stroke and adults are 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure while the women are 1.6 times more likely to die from heart diseases and complications than other ethnic groups (The Office of Minority Health, 2016).

The American Medical Journal explains that the heart disease is one of the deadliest medical conditions. Medical experts reckon that heart disease is a lifestyle disease, which emanates from excessive consumption of the wrong dietary combination. Foods such as fats and carbohydrates often expose individuals to the threat of heart disease. Consuming fast foods from McDonalds also expose people to the threat of heart disease. The most plausible means of mitigating the risk of contacting heart disease is by observing dietary combination. Individuals must keep a balanced diet always in order to avoid dietary concerns later on in life. The most common symptoms include chest discomfort, nausea, trouble sleeping, breathing problems, and unusual tiredness.

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, has become a major risk factor for several types of heart disease across the globe. In the United States alone, nearly 70 million adults have been diagnosed with this condition [1]. Hypertension is a condition in which arterial walls experience extreme force from blood flowing through; long-term force against artery walls will lead to more serious health problems such as stroke, renal failure, and other cardiovascular diseases [2]. If the proper steps to treat hypertension are not taken, patients have a high risk of developing atherosclerosis, a condition that causes arteries to harden significantly. Smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity, high alcohol consumption, and high sodium intake are factors that may cause an individual to be diagnosed with hypertension [3] Detection of hypertension is crucial in order to reduce the incidence of death by cardiovascular disease [1].

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major health condition which affects many Americans. This health condition may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. A normal blood pressure consists of systolic blood pressure divided by diastolic blood pressure, 120/80mmHg (millimeters of mercury). High blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure which is greater than 140mm Hg, and diastolic pressure which is over 90mm Hg. Hypertension influences the health outcomes of black Americans more than other races in the United States. Racial discrimination and socioeconomic status are two major factors which influence the rate of high blood pressure in the black American population.

The concern on whether anti-hypertensive’s should be withheld in patients who are hypertensive has been debatable in the recent past. Generally, the treatment of hypertension among hospitalized patients is basically an opportunity to enhance the recognition and treatment of blood pressure (Axon, Nietert & Egan, 2011, p.246). This is mainly because hypertension is a basic risk factor for heart diseases, stroke, and death whose impact is widespread to nearly 70 million adults in America. There have been numerous educational initiatives and publication of treatment processes to address this condition in the past few decades. Despite these measures, nearly 39 million Americans are at risk of hypertension because they have not reached their desired or optimal blood pressure.

Cardiovascular disease, mainly coronary heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States. A disproportionate number of people in minority and low-income populations die or become disabled from cardiovascular disease. The death rate for coronary heart disease for the nation decreased by 20% from 1987 to 1995, but for blacks, the overall decrease was only 13 percent. The coronary heart disease mortality rate for Asian Americans was 40% lower than whites, but 40% higher for blacks in 1995. High blood pressure and hypertension can increase the risk for coronary heart disease, and it has been shown that racial minorities have higher rates of hypertension, tend to develop hypertension at an earlier age, and are less likely to receive treatment for high blood pressure. Also, only 50% of American Indians, 44% of Asian

Chronic illnesses are a vicious cycle where one illness often leads to another. Think about people being obsese due to inactivity and eating habits. Which in turns into hypertension, diabetes and heart disease and obsesity if not monitored. Not one disease can come alone. African American men are 30% more likely to die from heart disease. 3.7 million (14.7%) of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes and or suffer from Hypertension. Stress is also a factor in heart disease and hypertension. Obesity is assumed to pose a risk for diabetes. On the other hand, blacks are less likely to report a number of conditions so the mortality rate is

The risks of getting those diseases are even higher for African Americans.” (American Heart Association). High blood pressure and obesity are the common conditions that increase a heart disease. High blood pressure is a condition in which the blood flow is abnormally higher than usual in the arteries. “Nearly 42% percent black men and 45% black women of twenty years and older have high blood pressure” (DeNoon). Researchers may have found a gene in blacks that make them more sensitive to salt, which in the long run increases the risk of high blood pressure. Obesity in african americans is more common as well, which increases the risk of heart disease. 63% of black men and 77% of black women are overweight or obese. A solution for high blood pressure and obesity is a healthy diet and exercise. It won’t only reduce the chances of getting these conditions but also reduce the chances of a heart disease or a

Hypertension is a condition of the heart where excessive amount of pressure is introduced in the blood vessels. The excessive pressure created in the blood vessels causes a lot of damage to the vessels and can lead to serious complications. This condition can affect everybody but the chances of acquiring these diseases are high in older people. Specific for Hispanics, they stand a higher chance of developing hypertension than other lineages in America. Some of the diseases they are prone to are cardiovascular, obesity in young people and diabetes.

Due to discrimination, hypertension is widely dominating in minorities. Back in 2007, it had been reported that 24 million individuals suffering from this condition are African Americans alone (Hall 210). In a

Keywords: socioeconomic status (SES), cardiovascular disease (CVD), African American, risk factors, social determinants, and health disparities, institutionalized racism.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines High Blood Pressure as the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, which carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body. Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day. But if it stays high for a long time, it can damage your heart and lead to health problems. High blood pressure raises your risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States. One out of every three adults over the age of twenty- that’s nearly eighty million Americans have high blood pressure. What’s more interesting is that nearly twenty percent don’t even know they don’t have it. Consequently, African American suffer more from this disease than any other race. According to the American Heart Association, forty percent of African American men and women have high blood pressure (AHA, 2016). Notably, adults twenty years and older consist of 42.6 percent are men and 47.0 percent are women that have this illness. For years’ researchers, have tried to understand why High Blood Pressure affect the African American at a higher rate than others. As a

Factors that contribute to hypertension are age, ethnicity, gender, and lifestyles as shown in Figure 1 (Yoon, Burt, Louis, & Carroll, 2012). While the prevalence of hypertension is relatively equal among men and women, certain ethnicities have a higher propensity for developing hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension in African-Americans is among the highest in the United States for a single ethnic group (Ferdinand & Armani, 2007). In the United States, around 78% of people suffering from hypertension are aware of their condition, with only 68% using hypertensive medications to control their blood

The two major types of hypertension are primary and secondary. Primary hypertension accounts for more than 90% of all cases and has no known cause, although it is hypothesized that genetic factors, hormonal changes, and the altercations in sympathetic tone all may play a role in its development. Secondary hypertension develops as a consequence of an underlying disease or condition. The prevention and treatment of hypertension is a major public health issue. When blood pressure is controlled, cardiovascular, renal disease, and stroke may be prevented. The JCN, reported more than 122 million individuals in American are overweight or obese, consume large amounts of dietary sodium and alcohol, and do not eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables; less than 20% exercise regularly. Both modifiable and non-modifiable factors play a role in the development of hypertension