HYPERTENSION IN JAPANESE-AMERICANS - THE SEATTLE JAPANESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY DIABETES STUDY

AMONG SEATTLE'S JAPANESE AMERICANS, hypertension is associated with ol der age, male gender (in the younger age groups), glucose intolerance (impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes), and visceral obesity (measu red by computed tomography). The gender difference in prevalence of hy pertension is absent in those ages 65 to 74 and in those with diabetes . In the absence of diabetes, hypertension is not associated with fast ing plasma insulin levels in the older second generation, but it is in the younger third generation. The association of hypertension with pl asma insulin in the third generation may be due to the association bet ween diabetes and plasma insulin and the presence of many prediabetic individuals in this generation. About three-fourths of Japanese Americ ans are aware of their hypertension, slightly more than half of hypert ensive Japanese Americans are being treated with anti-hypertensive med ication, and of those receiving antihypertensive medication, less than half have their hypertension controlled. Women tend to be less aware of hypertension, to receive anti-hypertensive medication less often, a nd to have their hypertension less well-controlled than men.