THURSDAY, Feb. 26, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- Contrary to findings emphasized in some previous research, a new American study says blacks and whites respond similarly to common blood pressure drugs.
The study, in the March issue of Hypertension, raises doubts about the use of different blood pressure drugs to treat blacks and whites.
Study author Dr. Ashwini Sehgal, of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, notes doctors are taught that blacks respond better to certain blood pressure drugs, such as diuretics, while whites respond better to other blood pressure drugs, such as beta blockers.
He and his colleagues examined data from all clinical trials on blood pressure drugs over the past 20 years. They concluded blacks and whites are more alike than different when it comes to treating high blood pressure.
The researchers examined changes in blood pressure after 9,307 whites and 2,902 blacks were treated with common blood pressure drugs. They found that, for each drug, blacks and whites responded similarly about 90 percent of the time.
More information
The American Medical Association has more about hypertension.
