News - Hypertension Week of March 30, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 13

Study: Hypertensive Retinopathy More Common Among Blacks

An eye condition known as hypertensive retinopathy, in which people develop spots like cotton wool in their eyes, is twice as common among blacks as among whites, according to a study in the March 25 rapid access issue of Hypertension.

Study author Dr. Tien Yin Wong, assistant professor at the Singapore National Eye Center, said the higher frequency of this condition in blacks may explain why they are at higher risk of stroke.

"Blood vessel damage in the eye is linked with similar changes in the brain and has been shown to be associated with a higher risk of stroke and death, independent of known risk factors," said Wong.

According to Wong, retinopathy is an important sign that a person's hypertension has progressed to a severe stage, causing organ damage.

Wong and his colleagues studied 1,860 blacks and 7,874 whites living in four U.S. communities in the United States. The prevalence of retinopathy was nearly twice as high in blacks as in whites (7.7 percent versus 4.1 percent).

"We found that differences in blood pressure explained about half of the excess prevalence of retinopathy in African Americans," said Wong. "Thus, controlling hypertension in African Americans is probably one method to reduce the higher prevalence of retinopathy."

Other sources: American Heart Association