Precursors of hypertension in black medical students: the Meharry cohort study.

Data were collected on a cohort of 435 black medical students whose attendance at Meharry Medical College fell within the period 1958 to 1965, providing baseline measurements on multiple possible hypertension precursors. Relevant family history, sociodemographic, and clinical characteristics were obtained. Fifty percent of the students had at least one of the following possible precursors of hypertension: systolic blood pressure >120 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure >80 mmHg; pulse >80 beats/min; and relative body weight >120 percent of ideal body weight. Contrary to expectations, students from professional families were more likely to have higher systolic blood pressures. Students whose parents had a positive history of hypertension or stroke were likely to have higher diastolic blood pressures. Of the 24 students found to be hypertensive on survey (1981), 73 percent had a positive parental history of hypertension or stroke compared with only 40 percent of a control group matched by age and sex. A 17-year follow-up is currently underway to develop a risk profile for hypertension among black professionals.