Hypertension in minorities - Essay Example

Full and section number of Great health care disparities prevail in United s. Health status of the negatively privileged population is poor. Ethnic and racial minorities suffer big segregation problems in America. The African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans are more susceptible to diseases than others. They are comparatively more vulnerable to chronic diseases than the whites. This ill-privileged group has high mortality rate and negative health outcomes. The heavy racial and ethnic disparities in United States reflect in health care sector also.

Hispanics are highly risky towards diseases. The black minorities who live in unhealthy environment are also vulnerable to various other problems like AIDS, diabetes and hypertension Hypertension is found to be more prevalent in minority black population than in general population. Chances of minorities having hypertension are almost 50% more than the general population. Apart from that severe hypertension occurs almost six times more commonly in minorities than whites and includes large range of target organ damage.

Therefore, damages to internal organs like kidneys, cerebral parts and heart happen almost five times more often in minorities compared to the general population. All these contribute to greater mortality level in minorities. As there exist big differences in clinical presentation, lack of proper healthcare facilities, certain pathophysiologic particularly in minorities and delays in joining the medical care system access to healthcare facilities become difficult for minorities. Minorities are unable to afford quality healthcare services in the United States where healthcare services are quite expensive (Victoria, 2004).

Booming healthcare costs makes minorities far from quality healthcare facilities. Treatment cost and pharmaceutical costs brings more hurdles to the negatively privileged minorities. Because of the economically downtrodden state prevailing in this minority population, low cost effective drugs like diuretics and beta-blockers, that are preferred drugs as per JNC-V, are often applied in minority population. However, calcium channel blockers appear to be very much effective in the minority population.

However the expensive nature of these medications makes the minorities deprived of these medicines. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors with small dose diuretics can makes good results in this population. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors that are tissue specific also are expected to be very much effective in the body of the minority population. Minorities are however unable to afford many of the effective medicines. Researches say that quality treatment can improve the health status of minorities.

In spite of the defective situation and differences in genetic nature and lifestyle, effective treatment is expected to improve survival and reduce mortality rate. The innumerable healthcare complications in minority population can be addressed effectively. America has witnessed a big jump in its minority population. Number of immigrants is increasing at a fast rate. As immigrant populations increase, their risk for health complications like hypertension and cardiovascular disease is also increasing.

The prevalence of hypertension shows a big difference in general population and minority population (Ferdinand, 2007). For example, American Indians is more susceptible to hypertension compared to the American native population. Hispanics also have a high blood pressure rate compared to other population. Apart from high prevalence of diabetes and obesity, hypertension is increasing at an alarming rate in the negatively privileged minority group (Ferdinand, 2007). It also seems that South Asians are better responsive to blood pressure medications compared to whites.

According to studies, hypertension awareness program, treatment, and availability of quality healthcare services at an affordable cost can help reduce the rate of hypertension in minorities. Minorities and those with low socioeconomic status need better hypertension education, awareness classes and intervention programs. The occurrence of hypertension in African Americans is higher than any other population in the world. Average blood pressure is high in African American population. Moreover they develop hypertension early in life compared to the whites.

State 3 hypertension is of higher rate in African Americans when it is rarely found in white population. Minority population is therefore under the high risk of the innumerable health complications associated with high blood pressure. They also have an 80-percent more stroke death rate. Heart disease death rate is 50% higher in minorities. It would also be amazing to note that they have a 300 % greater rate of hypertension-related end-stage kidney diseases compared to the white population. If they receive adequate treatment they are expected to achieve a big decline in blood pressure levels.

This would save them from hypertension related cardiac diseases and renal diseases. African Americans do not get treatment until their blood pressure levels reach high levels and target organ damage occurs. This is the cause for the hypertension-related mortality in the African-American population. End stage renal disease is very much prevalent in African Americans. African Americans should be made aware of the importance of low salt intake and lifestyle modifications so that they learn to keep their blood pressure in control.

They must be given good education concerning hypertension and other health problems. Public and private healthcare service providers can play a major role in saving the minorities from the high risk of hypertension and other diseases. Works Cited Colliver, Victoria. “In Critical Condition: Health Care in America.” San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Oct. 2004 Keith C. Ferdinand, M Hypertension in Minority Populations, The Journal of Clinical HypertensionVolume 8, Issue 5, 2007. References John R.

Battista, Justine McCabe. The Case for Single Payer, Universal Health Care for The United States, The Association of State Green Parties, Moodus, Connecticut on June 4, 1999. Andrews, C. Profit Fever: The Drive to Corporatize Health Care and How To Stop It. Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1995. .Drake, D., Fizgerald, S., and Jaffe, M. Hard Choices: Health Care At What Cost? Kansas City, Missouri: Andrews and McMeel, 1993. Drake, D., Fizgerald, S., and Jaffe, M. Hard Choices: Health Care At What Cost?

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