Hypertension followup in an urban black population

Abstract

In a 5-year period, 215 black hypertensives were identified at a neighborhood primary care center that offered free services to residents of a low-income housing project. The mean length of followup for the group was about 34 months, and 183 persons were followed for more than 1 year. Their mean age was 56 years; there were 34 men and 181 women in the group. Fifty-six percent of the 215 persons had a history of hypertension when they came to the center. Three types of outcome measures were examined in this study: (a) compliance, in terms of continued activity in the clinic; (b) lower blood pressure, preferably in the normal range; and (c) development of complications of hypertension. Sixty-seven percent of those alive and still residing in the area were continuing in the program; 37% achieved normotension and an added 21% had improved blood pressure readings. There was no statistical difference in the occurrence of hypertensive complications by initial severity of the hypertension or by how well the blood pressure was controlled. The 75 obese women in the group had more severe hypertension, more new complications, and were less likely to achieve normotension than the 106 nonobese women. These relationships were statistically significant.