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Black stroke survivors face greater risk from high BP
Black patients who survived an intracerebral hemorrhage were more likely than white patients to have high BP 1 year later, increasing their risk for another stroke, researchers reported.
Less than 20% of patients included in the study had normal BP, defined as less than 120 mm Hg/80 mm Hg, at 30 days or 1 year. Although researchers found no significant racial differences 30 days after intracerebral hemorrhage, black patients were more likely than white patients to have stage I/II hypertension at 1 year (P=.036). At 1 year, 63% of black patients had hypertension compared with 38% of white patients, despite use of one or more antihypertensive medications.
The study was conducted at Georgetown University Medical Center and included 162 patients (mean age, 59 years; 77% black; 53% men) in Washington, D.C. At presentation, mean arterial pressure was 9.6 mm Hg higher in black patients, after adjustment (P=.065).
The study was too small to identify which factors may explain the racial differences in hypertension, Darin B. Zahuranec, MD, MS, assistant professor of neurology at University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, said in a press release. However, marriage (P=.032) and living in a facility rather than a private residence (P=.023) were identified as independent predictors of lower BP at follow-up.
“Urgent efforts are needed to better understand the factors leading to poor long-term BP control and identify optimal approaches to improve BP management after intracerebral hemorrhage in both blacks and whites,” Zahuranec and colleagues wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.