Biomedical subjects

W B Neser

Publications and source records attributed to W B Neser.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1990

Parental hypertension as a predictor of hypertension in black physicians: the Meharry Cohort Study.

Parental histories were obtained for a cohort of black medical students in a longitudinal study of hypertension precursors. At follow-up, 25 to 30 years later, initial and current parental histories for hypertension were compared with other precursor characteristics as well as resulting cohort hypertension. The number of participants having no positive parental history for hypertension as parents aged declined from 55% to 24%. Hypertension among black physicians varied according to parental history: 38.9% for both parents negative, 41.4% for mother only positive, 60.5% for father only positive, and 73.7% for both parents positive. Parental history of hypertension was an independent predictor of subject hypertension. Positive parental history in combination with weight gain and high normal baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressure produced a gradient of risk corresponding to the number of risk factors present. Having all four risk factors increased the hypertension risk by 15 times. Parental history together with weight gain, blood pressure, and smoking provide a strong predictor of hypertension. Weight and blood pressure control, along with cessation of smoking, should be considered important factors in the clinical management of such patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Health care behavior among urban black and white women.

A cohort of 308 black and white women was followed 6 years to determine health status and preventive health behavior. The women of both races had nearly identical age and education levels. Health care utilization and health state perception was nearly identical, too. White women more frequently were dieters while black women walked for exercise and used prayer for problem solution. Women who exercised initially felt better at the end of the study. The persistence of health activities was stronger for white women but over half never exercised. More women need engagement in consistent preventive health activities

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Failure of the cold pressor test to predict hypertension in black physicians: the Meharry Cohort Study.

As part of a longitudinal study of precursors for hypertension and atherosclerosis in a cohort of 315 black physicians, the predictive values of cold pressor reactivity were assessed. At initial evaluation, cold pressor tests were performed on all members of the cohort. At the 23- to 30- year follow-up, the participants were again examined and tho cumulative incidence of hypertension was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier curves in relationship to cold pressor reactivity. The relationship between follow-up hypertension status and baseline cold pressor reactivity was also examined in a logistic regression analysis in which other potential confounders were controlled.The cold pressor test had no value in predicting the occurrence of primary hypertension.

Black People↗

PubMed1988

Type A behavior and black physicians: the Meharry Cohort Study.

A group of 261 black, male physicians was examined for the prevalence of Type A behavior and other sociomedical correlates.Type A behavior, as measured by the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS), was collected together with type of practice specialty, blood pressure, weight, and height. Type A behavior tended to vary by physician practice specialty. The job involvement subscale correlated significantly with blood pressure but total JAS and other JAS subscale measurements did not. The job-involvement relationship with blood pressure parallels James's finding in lower socioeconomic status blacks. Type A behavior was not found to be related to hypertension but did tend to favor leanness.

Black or African American↗

PubMed1987

Precursors of hypertension in black compared to white medical students.

Data were collected on 433 black medical students at Meharry Medical College (MMC) and 573 white medical students at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHMS) during the period of 1958 through 1965 consisting of baseline measurement of some possible precursors of hypertension. Similar methods were employed in both cohorts. Comparison as to prevalence and significance of hypertension precursors revealed the following: Black males had significantly higher casual and resting blood pressures than whites (p less than 0.01); and higher mean changes in blood pressure following the cold pressor test. White males had a significantly higher mean change in heart rate following cold pressor test (p less than 0.01). Upon exercise black males had significantly higher mean change in blood pressure and heart rate (p less than 0.01). There appears to be more blood pressure lability in blacks as indicated by higher mean SBP + DBP changes following the cold pressor test, and by mean pulse pressure level at peak exercise. The difference in blood pressure lability observed between blacks and whites in young adulthood may be one of the earliest identifiers of later differences in the incidence of hypertension. However, of even more importance is the difference in blood pressure levels between the two groups, though both are normotensive.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Obesity and hypertension in a longitudinal study of black physicians: the Meharry Cohort Study.

Obesity has been considered a risk factor among the precursors of essential hypertension for many years. Most related studies were general population surveys or predominantly white, male cohorts. This paper reports results of a longitudinal study of former black medical students, now practicing physicians for an average of 22.5 years. A remarkably high 43.8% were found to have developed hypertension. Fifty nine per cent of those who became obese during the study were hypertensive compared with 40% of the non-obese, 36% of those initially obese only, and 45% of those obese on both examinations. The risk ratio was 1.7 for the most obese (greater than or equal to 130% relative body weight) compared with 1.0 for the leanest group Dynamic weight change together with baseline diastolic blood pressure, were more prominent precursors than the other variables studied. Weight control would appear to be a potentially important nonpharmacologic hypertension risk reduction measure.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Risk factors and the incidence of hypertension in black physicians: the Meharry Cohort Study.

A prospective longitudinal study of black medical students was conducted to determine the predictive value of hypertension precursors. Follow-up examinations, averaging 22.5 years later, were performed on 341 subjects (78.8%); 25 (5.8%) additional subjects were identified as dead out of 433 original participants. Results are reported on 313 reexamined men. A remarkable 43.8% of the physicians had elevated blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg or gave a history of hypertension and treatment. Correlation coefficients, quintile distributions, and regressions all confirmed the ability of baseline SBP and DBP to predict their respective pressures on follow-up examination. Discriminant function tests yielded baseline SBP, DBP, smoking, and parental history of stroke or hypertension to be the most significant precursors distinguishing hypertensive from normotensive groups, and the model correctly classified 69.7% of the subjects. Baseline cholesterol and Quetelet index levels did not reach statistical significance. The cold pressor test was not predictive but interim weight gain was highly significant. Results are discussed in relation to comparable studies on white populations.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Precursors of hypertension in black medical students: the Meharry cohort study.

Data were collected on a cohort of 435 black medical students whose attendance at Meharry Medical College fell within the period 1958 to 1965, providing baseline measurements on multiple possible hypertension precursors. Relevant family history, sociodemographic, and clinical characteristics were obtained. Fifty percent of the students had at least one of the following possible precursors of hypertension: systolic blood pressure >120 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure >80 mmHg; pulse >80 beats/min; and relative body weight >120 percent of ideal body weight. Contrary to expectations, students from professional families were more likely to have higher systolic blood pressures. Students whose parents had a positive history of hypertension or stroke were likely to have higher diastolic blood pressures. Of the 24 students found to be hypertensive on survey (1981), 73 percent had a positive parental history of hypertension or stroke compared with only 40 percent of a control group matched by age and sex. A 17-year follow-up is currently underway to develop a risk profile for hypertension among black professionals.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Precursors of hypertension: a review.

Recent advances in hypertension therapy have been remarkable; however, much less is known about those precursors that facilitate preventive and early intervention measures. This review of the literature indicates that relevant precursors are early elevated casual systolic blood pressures, positive family history, and obesity in females. Additional predisposing or enhancing factors point to high sodium ingestion, heavy smoking, and high socioecologic stress. Evidence for a high-risk hypertensive personality is not conclusive. There is a paucity of longitudinal data on hypertension in the black population.

Blood Pressure↗

PubMed1971