Differences in hypertension between blacks and whites: an overview.

Hypertension is more prevalent and severe in urban black populations compared to whites, and is associated with a greater degree of target-organ damage for any given blood pressure level. In general, compared to whites, blacks respond well to diuretics and calcium channel blockers and less well to beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. The exact mechanisms that contribute to differences in blood pressure between blacks and whites are still not fully understood, given the multi-factorial aetiology of essential hypertension.