Prevention of essential hypertension in minority populations.

The precursors of essential hypertension (EH) begin in childhood. If the etiology of the evolution of EH were discovered, interventions may be developed to lead to the primary prevention of EH. In particular, one ethnic group, African-Americans (Blacks), are at increased risk of development of EH in adulthood. Hemodynamic changes in response to stressors are termed measures of cardiovascular reactivity (CVR). Ethnic difference in CVR are known to exist; are these markers or mechanisms of EH evolution? Investigations are underway to discover the mechanism(s) of the excessive vasoconstriction which appears to be characteristic of the CVR responses in Blacks. These may lead to the pharmacologic, or non-pharmacologic, interventions which may be initiated in childhood and prevent EH in adults.