Cost-Effectiveness of Hypertension Treatment by Pharmacists in Black Barbershops.

BACKGROUND: In LABBPS (Los Angeles Barbershop Blood Pressure Study), pharmacist-led hypertension care in Los Angeles County Black-owned barbershops significantly improved blood pressure control in non-Hispanic Black men with uncontrolled hypertension at baseline. In this analysis, 10-year health outcomes and health care costs of 1 year of the LABBPS intervention versus control are projected. METHODS: A discrete event simulation of hypertension care processes projected blood pressure, medication-related adverse events, fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular disease events, and noncardiovascular disease death in LABBPS participants. Program costs, total direct health care costs (2019 US dollars), and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated for the LABBPS intervention and control arms from a health care sector perspective over a 10-year horizon. Future costs and QALYs were discounted 3% annually. High and intermediate cost-effectiveness thresholds were defined as <$50 000 and <$150 000 per QALY gained, respectively. RESULTS: At 10 years, the intervention was projected to cost an average of $2356 (95% uncertainty interval, -$264 to $4611) more per participant than the control arm and gain 0.06 (95% uncertainty interval, 0.01-0.10) QALYs. The LABBPS intervention was highly cost-effective, with a mean cost of $42 717 per QALY gained (58% probability of being highly and 96% of being at least intermediately cost-effective). Exclusive use of generic drugs improved the cost-effectiveness to $17 162 per QALY gained. The LABBPS intervention would be only intermediately cost-effective if pharmacists were less likely to intensify antihypertensive medications when systolic blood pressure was ≥150 mm Hg or if pharmacist weekly time driving to barbershops increased. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension care delivered by clinical pharmacists in Black barbershops is a highly cost-effective way to improve blood pressure control in Black men.

Alcohol Use and Blood Pressure Among Adults with Hypertension: the Mediating Roles of Health Behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is associated with increased blood pressure among adults with hypertension, but it is unknown whether some of the observed relationship is explained by mediating behaviors related to alcohol use. OBJECTIVE: We assess the potential indirect role of smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and poor medication adherence on the association between alcohol use and blood pressure among Black and White men and women with hypertension. DESIGN: Adjusted repeated-measures analyses using generalized estimating equations and mediation analyses using inverse odds ratio weighting. PARTICIPANTS: 1835 participants with hypertension based on ACC/AHA 2017 guidelines in three most recent follow-up exams of the longitudinal Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults cohort study (2005-2016). MAIN MEASURES: Alcohol use was assessed using both self-reported average ethanol intake (drinks/day) and engagement in heavy episodic drinking (HED) in the past 30 days. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) were measured by trained technicians (mmHg). Smoking, physical inactivity, and diet were self-reported and categorized according to American Heart Association criteria, and medication adherence was assessed using self-reported typical adherence to antihypertensive medications. KEY RESULTS: At baseline (2005-2006), 57.9% of participants were Black and 51.4% were women. Mean age (standard deviation) was 45.5 (3.6) years, mean SBP was 128.7 (15.5) mmHg, and mean DBP was 83.2 (10.1) mmHg. Each additional drink per day was significantly associated with higher SBP (ß = 0.713 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.398, 1.028) and DBP (ß = 0.398 mmHg, 95% CI: 0.160, 0.555), but there was no evidence of mediation by any of the behaviors. HED was not associated with blood pressure independent of average consumption. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the direct nature of the association of alcohol use with blood pressure and the utility of advising patients with hypertension to limit consumption in addition to other behavioral and pharmacological interventions.

Development of a Multicomponent Intervention to Decrease Racial Bias Among Healthcare Staff.

BACKGROUND: Real or perceived discrimination contributes to lower quality of care for Black compared to white patients. Some forms of discrimination come from non-physician and non-nursing (non-MD/RN) staff members (e.g., receptionists). METHODS: Utilizing the Burgess Model as a framework for racial bias intervention development, we developed an online intervention with five, 30-min modules: (1) history and effects of discrimination and racial disparities in healthcare, (2) implicit bias and how it may influence interactions with patients, (3) strategies to handle stress at work, (4) strategies to improve communication and interactions with patients, and (5) personal biases. Modules were designed to increase understanding of bias, enhance internal motivation to overcome bias, enhance emotional regulation skills, and increase empathy in patient interactions. Participants were non-MD/RN staff in nine primary care clinics. Effectiveness of the intervention was assessed using Implicit Association Test and Symbolic Racism Scale, to measure implicit and explicit racial bias, respectively, before and after the intervention. Acceptability was assessed through quantitative and qualitative feedback. RESULTS: Fifty-eight non-MD/RN staff enrolled. Out of these, 24 completed pre- and post-intervention assessments and were included. Among participants who reported characteristics, most were Black, with less than college education and average age of 43.2 years. The baseline implicit bias d-score was 0.22, indicating slight pro-white bias. After the intervention, the implicit bias score decreased to -0.06 (p=0.01), a neutral score indicating no pro-white or Black bias. Participant rating of the intervention, scored from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), for questions including whether "it was made clear how to apply the presented content in practice" and "this module was worth the time spent" was ≥4.1 for all modules. CONCLUSIONS: There was a decrease in implicit pro-white bias after, compared with before, the intervention. Intervention materials were highly rated.

Black-White Differences in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: A Prospective US Study, 2003-2017.

Objectives. To determine factors that explain the higher Black:White cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates among US adults.Methods. We analyzed data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study from 2003 to 2017 to estimate Black:White hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD mortality within subgroups younger than 65 years and aged 65 years or older.Results. Among 29 054 participants, 41.0% who were Black and 54.9% who were women, 1549 CVD deaths occurred. Among participants younger than 65 years, the demographic-adjusted Black:White CVD mortality HR was 2.23 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.87, 2.65) and 1.21 (95% CI = 1.00, 1.47) after full adjustment. Among participants aged 65 years or older, the demographic-adjusted Black:White CVD mortality HR was 1.58 (95% CI = 1.39, 1.79) and 1.12 (95% CI = 0.97, 1.29) after full adjustment. When we used mediation analysis, socioeconomic status explained 21.2% (95% CI = 13.6%, 31.4%) and 38.0% (95% CI = 20.9%, 61.7%) of the Black:White CVD mortality risk difference among participants younger than 65 years and aged 65 years or older, respectively. CVD risk factors explained 56.6% (95% CI = 42.0%, 77.2%) and 41.3% (95% CI = 22.9%, 65.3%) of the Black:White CVD mortality difference for participants younger than 65 years and aged 65 years or older, respectively.Conclusions. The higher Black:White CVD mortality risk is primarily explained by racial differences in socioeconomic status and CVD risk factors.

Incident Cardiovascular Disease Among Adults With Blood Pressure <140/90 mm Hg.

BACKGROUND: Data from before the 2000s indicate that the majority of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events occur among US adults with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) ≥140/90 mm Hg. Over the past several decades, BP has declined and hypertension control has improved. METHODS: We estimated the percentage of incident CVD events that occur at SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg in a pooled analysis of 3 contemporary US cohorts: the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke), the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), and the JHS (Jackson Heart Study) (n=31 856; REGARDS=21 208; MESA=6779; JHS=3869). Baseline study visits were conducted in 2003 to 2007 for REGARDS, 2000 to 2002 for MESA, and 2000 to 2004 for JHS. BP was measured by trained staff using standardized methods. Antihypertensive medication use was self-reported. The primary outcome was incident CVD, defined by the first occurrence of fatal or nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal coronary heart disease, or heart failure. Events were adjudicated in each study. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 7.7 years, 2584 participants had incident CVD events. Overall, 63.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 54.9-71.1) of events occurred in participants with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg; 58.4% (95% CI, 47.7-69.2) and 68.1% (95% CI, 60.1-76.0) among those taking and not taking antihypertensive medication, respectively. The majority of events occurred in participants with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg among those <65 years of age (66.7%; 95% CI, 60.5-73.0) and ≥65 years of age (60.3%; 95% CI, 51.0-69.5), women (61.4%; 95% CI, 49.9-72.9) and men (63.8%; 95% CI, 58.4-69.1), and for whites (68.7%; 95% CI, 66.1-71.3), blacks (59.0%; 95% CI, 49.5-68.6), Hispanics (52.7%; 95% CI, 45.1-60.4), and Chinese-Americans (58.5%; 95% CI, 45.2-71.8). Among participants taking antihypertensive medication with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg, 76.6% (95% CI, 75.8-77.5) were eligible for statin treatment, but only 33.2% (95% CI, 32.1-34.3) were taking one, and 19.5% (95% CI, 18.5-20.5) met the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) eligibility criteria and may benefit from a SBP target goal of 120 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: Although higher BP levels are associated with increased CVD risk, in the modern era, the majority of incident CVD events occur in US adults with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg. While absolute risk and cost-effectiveness should be considered, additional CVD risk-reduction measures for adults with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg at high risk for CVD may be warranted.

Exploring the Association of Healthcare Worker Race and Occupation with Implicit and Explicit Racial Bias.

BACKGROUND: Racial bias is associated with suboptimal healthcare treatment for minorities. Research focuses on bias among physicians rather than non-physician healthcare staff (e.g., receptionists). Patients spend considerable amounts of time with non-physician staff. Therefore, we investigate differences in implicit and explicit racial bias by healthcare staff race and occupation using the Implicit Association Test and Modern Racism Scale, respectively. METHODS: Staff (n = 107) were recruited using the Alabama based Primary Care Research Coalition. Occupation was categorized into "medical doctors/registered nurses" (MD/RN) and "non-MD/RN" (e.g., receptionists). RESULTS: Implicit bias scores were higher among whites compared with blacks (0.62, -0.04, respectively; p < 0.01). Among whites, non-MD/RNs demonstrated more pro-white implicit bias compared with MD/RNs (0.67, 0.44, respectively; p < 0.01). Whites had higher explicit bias scores than blacks (17.7, 12.3, respectively; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Non-MD/RNs should not be overlooked for cultural competency training, and efforts are needed to reduce racial bias among healthcare workers identified as having higher levels of bias.

Cost-effectiveness of Antihypertensive Medication: Exploring Race and Sex Differences Using Data From the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study.

BACKGROUND: Antihypertensive medication decreases risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in adults with hypertension. Although black adults have higher prevalence of hypertension and worse CVD outcomes compared with whites, limited attention has been given to the cost-effectiveness of antihypertensive medication for blacks. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cost-effectiveness of antihypertensive medication treatment versus no-treatment in white and black adults. RESEARCH DESIGN: We constructed a State Transition Model to assess the costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) associated with either antihypertensive medication treatment or no-treatment using data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study and published literature. CVD events and health states considered in the model included stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and end-stage renal disease. SUBJECTS: White and black adults with hypertension in the United States, 45 years of age and above. MEASURES: Yearly risk of CVD was determined using REGARDS data and published literature. Antihypertensive medication costs were determined using Medicare claims. Event and health state costs were estimated from published literature. All costs were adjusted to 2012 US dollars. Effectiveness was assessed using QALYs. RESULTS: Antihypertensive medication treatment was cost-saving and increased QALYs compared with no-treatment for white men ($7387; 1.14 QALYs), white women ($7796; 0.89 QALYs), black men ($8400; 1.66 QALYs), and black women ($10,249; 1.79 QALYs). CONCLUSIONS: Antihypertensive medication treatment is cost-saving and increases QALYs for all groups considered in the model, particularly among black adults.

"We'll Get to You When We Get to You": Exploring Potential Contributions of Health Care Staff Behaviors to Patient Perceptions of Discrimination and Satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES: We qualitatively assessed patients' perceptions of discrimination and patient satisfaction in the health care setting specific to interactions with nonphysician health care staff. METHODS: We conducted 12 focus-group interviews with African American and European American participants, stratified by race and gender, from June to November 2008. We used a topic guide to facilitate discussion and identify factors contributing to perceived discrimination and analyzed transcripts for relevant themes using a codebook. RESULTS: We enrolled 92 participants: 55 African Americans and 37 European Americans, all of whom reported perceived discrimination and lower patient satisfaction as a result of interactions with nonphysician health care staff. Perceived discrimination was associated with 2 main characteristics: insurance or socioeconomic status and race. Both verbal and nonverbal communication style on the part of nonphysician health care staff were related to individuals' perceptions of how they were treated. CONCLUSIONS: The behaviors of nonphysician health care staff in the clinical setting can potentially contribute to patients' perceptions of discrimination and lowered patient satisfaction. Future interventions to reduce health care discrimination should include a focus on staff cultural competence and customer service skills.

Mechanisms Influencing Circadian Blood Pressure Patterns Among Individuals with HIV.

HIV+ individuals have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the mechanisms behind this association are poorly understood. While hypertension is a well-established CVD risk factor, clinic-based blood pressure (BP) assessment by itself cannot identify several important BP patterns, including white coat hypertension, masked hypertension, nighttime hypertension, and nighttime BP dipping. These BP patterns can be identified over a 24-h period by ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). In this review, we provide an overview of the potential value of conducting ABPM in HIV+ individuals. ABPM phenotypes associated with increased CVD risk include masked hypertension (i.e., elevated out-of-clinic BP despite non-elevated clinic BP), nighttime hypertension, and a non-dipping BP pattern (i.e., a drop in BP of <10 % from daytime to nighttime). These adverse ABPM phenotypes may be highly relevant in the setting of HIV infection, given that increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers, high psychosocial burden, high prevalence of sleep disturbance, and autonomic dysfunction have been commonly reported in HIV+ persons. Additionally, although antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with lower AIDS-related morbidity and CVD risk, the mitochondrial toxicity, oxidative stress, lipodystrophy, and insulin resistance associated with long-term ART use potentially lead to adverse ABPM phenotypes. Existing data on ABPM phenotypes in the setting of HIV are limited, but suggest an increased prevalence of a non-dipping BP pattern. In conclusion, identifying ABPM phenotypes may provide crucial information regarding the mechanisms underlying the excess CVD risk in HIV+ individuals.

Do hospitals that do the right thing have more satisfied patients?

BACKGROUND: Hospital incentive payments are increasingly becoming tied to quality. However, the U.S. health care system continues to face rising health care costs and scarce workforce resources, making improving quality a challenge. Patient satisfaction and process quality are two areas of quality tied to reimbursement. Both are associated with positive health outcomes, but little is known about the relationship between the two. PURPOSES: The purpose of this study is to determine if there is an association between process quality and patient satisfaction in a representative sample of U.S. hospitals. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We utilize a pooled cross-sectional study design with year fixed effects from 2009 to 2011. We linked the Hospital Compare data set and the American Hospital Association Annual Survey of Hospitals (AHA) data set. We use a method prescribed by the Joint Commission to determine hospital-level process quality in three areas: heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and pneumonia treatment. We then use regression models to measure the relationship between process quality and two measures of overall hospital patient satisfaction. FINDINGS: After we control for hospital-level characteristics and year, we find that patient satisfaction is positively associated with all three areas of hospital process quality (p < .01). For example, acute myocardial infarction process quality was positively associated with whether patients "would definitely recommend the hospital" (B = 0.75, p < .01). Process quality areas were moderately and positively correlated (p < .01), and on average, patient satisfaction scores have increased over time (p < .01). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our findings of an association between process quality and patient satisfaction suggest that focusing on process quality does not have negative implications for patient satisfaction. As performance in different process quality areas is only moderately correlated, managers should continually monitor all areas. The trend of increased patient satisfaction over time, perhaps because of industry pressures, should be investigated further.

Association of hospital and market characteristics with 30-day readmission rates from 2009 to 2015.

Objectives: The US government implemented the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program on 1 October 2012 to reduce readmission rates through financial penalties to hospitals with excessive readmissions. We conducted a pooled cross-sectional analysis of US hospitals from 2009 to 2015 to determine the association of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program with 30-day readmissions. Methods: We utilized multivariable linear regression with year and state fixed effects. The model was adjusted for hospital and market characteristics lagged by 1 year. Interaction effects of hospital and market characteristics with the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program indicator variable was also included to assess whether associations of Hospital Readmission Reduction Program with 30-day readmissions differed by these characteristics. Results: In multivariable adjusted analysis, the main effect of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program was a 3.80 percentage point (p < 0.001) decrease in readmission rates in 2013-2015 relative to 2009-2012. Hospitals with lower readmission rates overall included not-for-profit and government hospitals, medium and large hospitals, those in markets with a larger percentage of Hispanic residents, and population 65 years and older. Higher hospital readmission rates were observed among those with higher licensed practical nurse staffing ratio, larger Medicare and Medicaid share, and less competition. Statistically significant interaction effects between hospital/market characteristics and the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program on the outcome of 30-day readmission rates were present. Teaching hospitals, rural hospitals, and hospitals in markets with a higher percentage of residents who were Black experienced larger decreases in readmission rates. Hospitals with larger registered nurse staffing ratios and in markets with higher uninsured rate and percentage of residents with a high school education or greater experienced smaller decreases in readmission rates. Conclusion: Findings of the current study support the effectiveness of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program but also point to the need to consider the ability of hospitals to respond to penalties and incentives based on their characteristics during policy development.

Cost of Cardiovascular Disease Event and Cardiovascular Disease Treatment-Related Complication Hospitalizations in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is among the costliest conditions in the United States, and cost-effectiveness analyses can be used to assess economic impact and prioritize CVD treatments. We aimed to develop standardized, nationally representative CVD events and selected possible CVD treatment-related complication hospitalization costs for use in cost-effectiveness analyses. METHODS: Nationally representative costs were derived using publicly available inpatient hospital discharge data from the 2012-2018 National Inpatient Sample. Events were identified using the principal International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes. Facility charges were converted to costs using charge-to-cost ratios, and total costs were estimated by applying a published professional fee ratio. All costs are reported in 2021 US dollars. Mean costs were estimated for events overall and stratified by age, sex, and survival status at discharge. Annual costs to the US health care system were estimated by multiplying the mean annual number of events by the mean total cost per discharge. RESULTS: The annual mean number of hospital discharges among CVD events was the highest for heart failure (1 087 000 per year) and cerebrovascular disease (800 600 per year). The mean cost per hospital discharge was the highest for peripheral vascular disease ($33 700 [95% CI, $33 300-$34 000]) and ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation ($32 500 [95% CI, $32 100-$32 900]). Hospitalizations contributing the most to annual US health care costs were heart failure ($19 500 [95% CI, $19 300-$19 800] million) and acute myocardial infarction ($18 300, [95% CI, $18 200-$18 500] million). Acute kidney injury was the most frequent possible treatment complication (515 000 per year), and bradycardia had the highest mean hospitalization costs ($17 400 [95% CI, $17 200-$17 500]). CONCLUSIONS: The hospitalization cost estimates and statistical code reported in the current study have the potential to increase transparency and comparability of cost-effectiveness analyses for CVD in the United States.

Race differences in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters.

BACKGROUND: Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) on ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (ABPM) are higher among Black compared with White adults. With 48 to 72 BP measurements obtained over 24 h, ABPM can generate parameters other than mean BP that are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events. There are few data on race differences in ABPM parameters other than mean BP. METHODS: To estimate differences between White and Black participants in ABPM parameters, we used pooled data from five US-based studies in which participants completed ABPM (n = 2580). We calculated measures of SBP and DBP level, including mean, load, peak, and measures of SBP and DBP variability, including average real variability (ARV) and peak increase. RESULTS: There were 1513 (58.6%) Black and 1067 (41.4%) White participants with mean ages of 56.1 and 49.0 years, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, asleep SBP and DBP load were 5.7% (95% CI: 3.5-7.9%) and 2.7% (95% CI: 1.1-4.3%) higher, respectively, among Black compared with White participants. Black compared with White participants also had higher awake DBP ARV (0.3 [95%CI: 0.0-0.6] mmHg) and peak increase in DBP (0.4 [95% CI: 0.0-0.8] mmHg). There was no evidence of Black:White differences in awake measures of SBP level, asleep peak SBP or DBP, awake and asleep measures of SBP variability or asleep measures of DBP variability after multivariable adjustment. CONCLUSION: Asleep SBP load, awake DBP ARV and peak increase in awake DBP were higher in Black compared to White participants, independent of mean BP on ABPM.

Perceived discrimination in primary care: Does Payer mix matter?

INTRODUCTION: Previous literature has explored patient perceptions of discrimination by race and insurance status, but little is known about whether the payer mix of the primary care clinic (i.e., that is majority public insurance vs. majority private insurance clinics) influences patient perceptions of race- or insurance-based discrimination. METHODS: Between 2015-2017, we assessed patient satisfaction and perceived race- and insurance-based discrimination using a brief, anonymous post-clinic visit survey. RESULTS: Participants included 3,721 patients from seven primary care clinics-three public clinics and four private clinics. Results from unadjusted logistic regression models suggest higher overall reports of race- and insurance-based discrimination in public clinics compared with private clinics. In mulvariate analyses, increasing age, Black race, lower education and Medicaid insurance were associated with higher odds of reporting race- and insurance-based discrimination in both public and private settings. CONCLUSION: Reports of race and insurance discrimination are higher in public clinics than private clinics. Sociodemographic variables, such as age, Black race, education level, and type of insurance also influence reports of race- and insurance-based discrimination in primary care.

Contributors to Early Mortality in African Americans, the Jackson Heart Study.

Introduction: In recent years, premature "deaths of despair" (ie, due to alcohol, drug use, and suicide) among middle-aged White Americans have received increased attention in the popular press, yet there has been less discussion on what explains premature deaths among young African Americans. In this study, we examined factors related to deaths of despair (alcohol use, drug use, smoking) and contextual factors (perceived discrimination, socioeconomic status, neighborhood conditions) as predictors of premature deaths before the age of 65 years among African Americans. Methods: The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) is a longitudinal cohort study of African Americans in the Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan statistical area. We included participants younger than 65 years at baseline (n=4000). Participant enrollment began in 2000 and data for these analyses were collected through 2019. To examine predictors of mortality, we calculated multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs; 95% CI), using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for age, sex, ideal cardiovascular health metrics, drug use, alcohol intake, functional status, cancer, chronic kidney disease, asthma, waist circumference, depression, income, education, health insurance status, perceived neighborhood safety, and exposure to lifetime discrimination. Results: There were 230 deaths in our cohort, which spanned from 2001-2019. After adjusting for all covariates, males (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.11-2.03), participants who used drugs (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.13-2.08), had a heavy alcohol drinking episode (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.22-2.41), reported 0-1 ideal cardiovascular health metrics (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.06-3.02), had cancer (HR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.41-4.01), had poor functional status (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.19-2.37), or with annual family income less than $25,000 (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.02-2.62) were more likely to die before 65 years of age. Conclusions: In our large cohort of African American men and women, clinical predictors of premature death included poor cardiovascular health and cancer, and social predictors included low income, drug use, heavy alcohol use, and being a current smoker. Clinical and social interventions are warranted to prevent premature mortality in African Americans.

Estimated Population Health Benefits of Intensive Systolic Blood Pressure Treatment Among SPRINT-Eligible US Adults.

BACKGROUND: The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) demonstrated an intensive (<120 mm Hg) vs. standard (<140 mm Hg) systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal lowered cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Estimating the effect of intensive SBP lowering among SPRINT-eligible adults most likely to benefit can guide implementation efforts. METHODS: We studied SPRINT participants and SPRINT-eligible participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study and National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). A published algorithm of predicted CVD benefit with intensive SBP treatment was used to categorize participants into low, medium, or high predicted benefit. CVD event rates were estimated with intensive and standard treatment. RESULTS: Median age was 67.0, 72.0, and 64.0 years in SPRINT, SPRINT-eligible REGARDS, and SPRINT-eligible NHANES participants, respectively. The proportion with high predicted benefit was 33.0% in SPRINT, 39.0% in SPRINT-eligible REGARDS, and 23.5% in SPRINT-eligible NHANES. The estimated difference in CVD event rate (standard minus intensive) was 7.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.4-10.7), 8.4 (95% CI 8.2-8.5), and 6.1 (95% CI 5.9-6.3) per 1,000 person-years in SPRINT, SPRINT-eligible REGARDS participants, and SPRINT-eligible NHANES participants, respectively (median 3.2-year follow-up). Intensive SBP treatment could prevent 84,300 (95% CI 80,800-87,920) CVD events per year in 14.1 million SPRINT-eligible US adults; 29,400 and 28,600 would be in 7.0 million individuals with medium or high predicted benefit, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the population health benefit from intensive SBP goals could be achieved by treating those characterized by a previously published algorithm as having medium or high predicted benefit.

Cost-Effectiveness of Recommendations From the Surgeon General's Call-to-Action to Control Hypertension.

In response to high prevalence of hypertension and suboptimal rates of blood pressure (BP) control in the United States, the Surgeon General released a Call-to-Action to Control Hypertension (Call-to-Action) in the fall of 2020 to address the negative consequences of uncontrolled BP. In addition to morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension, hypertension has an annual cost to the US healthcare system of $71 billion. The Call-to-Action makes recommendations for improving BP control, and the purpose of this review was to summarize the literature on the cost-effectiveness of these strategies. We identified a number of studies that demonstrate the cost saving or cost-effectiveness of recommendations in the Call-to-Action including strategies to promote access to and availability of physical activity opportunities and healthy food options within communities, advance the use of standardized treatment approaches and guideline-recommended care, to promote the use of healthcare teams to manage hypertension, and to empower and equip patients to use self-measured BP monitoring and medication adherence strategies. While the current review identified numerous cost-effective methods to achieve the Surgeon General's recommendations for improving BP control, future work should determine the cost-effectiveness of the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association Hypertension guidelines, interventions to lower therapeutic inertia, and optimal team-based care strategies, among other areas of research. Economic evaluation studies should also be prioritized to generate more comprehensive data on how to provide efficient and high value care to improve BP control.

Changes in Antihypertensive Medication Following Bariatric Surgery.

Obesity is a leading cause of hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure [BP]). While hypertension can be managed with antihypertensive medication, substantial weight loss can also lower BP, reducing the need for antihypertensive medication. Articles in this review (n = 60) presented data on antihypertensive medication use among adults pre- and postoperatively. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was the most studied surgical approach followed by Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy. Antihypertensive medication was discontinued in a large proportion of patients after surgery, and the mean number of antihypertensive medications decreased by approximately one. In almost a third of the studies, over 75% of participants experienced hypertension remission. All articles aside from two reported a decrease in systolic BP, with about 40% reporting a decrease of ≥ 10 mm Hg.