Races react similarly to drugs.

• Position: Blood Pressure - Brief Article

Whites and blacks respond similarly to all common blood pressure medications, according to a study by the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland. While several previous studies tend to emphasize the differences in response to blood pressure drugs by race, this investigation systematically examined all clinical trials from the last 20 years and found that whites and blacks are more alike than different when it comes to treating high blood pressure.

The study examines changes in blood pressure after administration of common antihypertensive chemicals. For each dose, whites and blacks responded similarly about 90% of the time. These findings raise doubts about the value of using different drugs for each race.

Physicians are taught that whites respond better to certain blood pressure medication, such as beta blockers, while blacks respond better to others, such as diuretics. This study found that there is a small average...