Racial and Ethnic Differences in Antihypertensive Medication Use and Blood Pressure Control Among US Adults With Hypertension

Hypertension is a highly prevalent risk factor and a major contributor to a myriad of cardiovascular diseases. It is difficult to overestimate the overall impact of effective hypertension control on the cardiovascular disease burden in the population. Because of consistent efforts to increase the awareness and treatment of hypertension in the United States during the past several decades, the overall control of hypertension seems to be improving. Despite this effort, several studies have raised the concern of racial and ethnic inequalities in terms of hypertension treatment and control. Although suboptimal insurance coverage and poor access to health care are most widely accepted determinants of health disparities, the causes of racial inequalities are complex and require systematic studies to bridge the gap in achieving universal highquality clinical outcomes. We sought to examine the racial differences in hypertension treatment and control, describe antihypertensive drug utilization patterns, and explore potential causes of racial disparities in these measures.