Roughly 700,000 people in the United States have a stroke every year and one in every three adults have high blood pressure, or hypertension. Minorities suffer from strokes and hypertension at a significantly greater rate than their white counterparts. In a 2004 study, the American Heart Association reported that 2.4 percent of white males suffer from a stroke each year, versus 4.1 percent of all black males, and about 3 percent of all Mexican American and Hispanic males. The report also found that 31.9 percent of white females have high blood pressure, compared to nearly one in every two black females. Most striking is that the mortality rate of black males who experience a stroke is 73.9 percent, in contrast to 48.1 percent for white males.
There are two types of stroke. The more common is called an ischemic stroke and occurs when a blood clot impedes the flow of blood in an artery feeding the brain. Often the clot comes from another part of the body, such as the heart, and travels through the bloodstream to the brain, cutting off the blood supply to a part of the brain. These clots usually form as a result of too many fatty deposits and too much cholesterol in the blood. The second, less common, type of stroke is called a hemorrhagic stroke and occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and leaks into the brain. This is usually a direct result of high blood pressure or weak blood vessel walls.
Occurrence of stroke is most directly related to high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. The risk factors of high blood pressure include family history of high blood pressure, being overweight or obese, diabetes, excessive drinking, and lack of physical activity and exercise. According to the American Heart Association, Americans of all racial backgrounds report deficient rates of participation in physical activity. Obesity also continues to be a serious national problem in 73.3 percent of black adults, 73.8 percent of Mexican American adults, and 64.3 percent of white adults.
The prevalence of risk factors for stroke and high blood pressure in minority communities makes it especially important for members of those communities to be aware of methods for decreasing their risks. To prevent high blood pressure it is important to live a healthy lifestyle, paying attention to diet and exercising on a regular basis. Diets should be low in sodium, fat and cholesterol, and individuals should consult their doctor about an appropriate exercise regimen. In addition, it is important to manage stress, another major factor in raising blood pressure. Experts also advise getting regular cholesterol and blood pressure checks and discussing with a doctor the possibility of medications that can lower both factors. These lifestyle changes require a lifelong commitment.
