J Natl Med Assoc
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The prevalence of hypertension and the incidence of complications from uncontrolled elevated blood pressure in blacks is much greater than in the white population. In general, blacks have underlying differences in the factors relating to blood pressure level, including low plasma renin, and, in certain instances, a decreased ability to excrete sodium. The stepped-care approach in the management of the black hypertensive patient is similar to that taken with white patients, but racial differences in response to antihypertensive drugs exist that require careful consideration when choosing a treatment regimen. ⋯ Encouraging data are available on the use of calcium channel blockers in blacks. When combined with a diuretic, the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors also provide an alternative to therapy for black patients. The use of low doses of ACE inhibitors has reduced the high incidence of adverse effects associated with this group of drugs in earlier studies.
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An hypothesis is proposed that there exists a subgroup of African-American hypertensive patients whose hypertension could have been prevented by the early detection and treatment of easily recognizable symptoms that signal the initiation of the pathophysiologic processes that lead to essential hypertension. A pilot study of 31 patients with elevated blood pressure revealed that 41.9 percent had isolated sleep paralysis, 35.5 percent had panic attacks, and 9.7 percent had panic disorder. These proposed hyperadrenergic phenomena may be related to the development of hypertension in certain individuals.