Hypertension and diabetes in Detroit Hispanics

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes alone and together in a sample of Hispanics. There were 111 participants with a mean age of 51 years. Twenty-six percent of the participants were hypertensive, a proportion well above the Healthy People 2010 target of 16%. The majority of hypertensive participants had isolated systolic hypertension, which is consistently associated with greater cardiovascular risk. Thirty-seven percent of the hypertensives were also diabetic. Diabetics were significantly more likely than non-diabetics to have stage 3 hypertension than either stage 1 or stage 2 (χ2 [1] = 7.17, p < .01). It is important for nurses to screen Hispanic clients who are 18 years and older for high blood pressure. Early case finding will help nurses increase awareness and control of high blood pressure among Hispanics, which is crucial to avoid the enormous human and financial burdens of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.