title: Essential hypertension: racial/ethnic differences in pathophysiology.
abstract: Essential hypertension is a complex polygenetic disorder with different "intermediate phenotypes" among diverse racial/ethnic groups. Differences have been identified in the renin-angiotensin system, prevalence of salt sensitivity, ion-transport mechanisms, and calcium homeostasis, yet no unifying hypothesis as to the genetic mechanisms responsible for the excess prevalence and severity of hypertension among African Americans has emerged. Environmental factors, such as access to health care, socioeconomic status, stress, diet, and obesity, account for some of the differences in the prevalence of hypertension worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hypertension, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4982, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thibonnier
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D044383:Black People; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D017136:Ion Transport; D008297:Male; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium