Hypertension in the San Antonio Heart Study and the Mexico City Diabetes Study: clinical and metabolic correlates.

DESPITE THE GREATER OBESITY AND PREVALENCE of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in Mexican Americans (MA) than in non-Hispanic whites (NHW), MA have a similar or slightly lower prevalence and incidence of hypertension than NHW. After adjustment for age, gender, obesity, and NIDDM, the prevalence of hypertension was significantly lower in MA than in NHW in both men and women. Mexican Americans, however, have lower rates of control than do non-Hispanic whites. The high rates of NIDDM, coupled with the poor control of hypertension in Mexican Americans, make efforts to control hypertension essential in this group. The prevalence of hypertension in low income residents of Mexico City is lower than in low income Mexican Americans from San Antonio, Texas.