Emerging issues in lifestyle, social, and environmental interventions to promote behavioral change related to prevention and control of hypertension in the African-American population.

Prevention of hypertension must play a more prominent role in health care, in the education of young people, and in the public policy arena if we are committed to reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease. Some steps individuals can take to lessen the risk of stroke or coronary heart disease include: If you are obese and hypertensive, you should reduce total calories and lose weight. Substitute olive oil or canola oil for vegetable oils to increase your intake of monounsaturated fatty acids. Try the Mediterranean diet. Start a program of aerobic exercise or increase the amount you are currently doing. Reduce salt intake. Reduce alcohol consumption. Stop smoking. If you have hypertension and tend to overrespond to stress, try relaxation and biofeedback techniques, which according to some studies may produce a modest reduction in blood pressure in some individuals with mild hypertension. Increase the amount of fiber in the diet by increasing the amount of grains, fruit, and vegetables. Have your renin level tested. A "population" approach should be incorporated into medical school curricula to encourage and train caregivers to consider social, cultural, and economic factors affecting patients. Historically black colleges, public and private elementary and secondary schools, and churches can provide leadership in this nation for educating African Americans in the prevention and control of high blood pressure. In conclusion, we already have the information we need from research to close the mortality gap between whites and African Americans in cardiovascular disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)