Emory University proposes to host a two day national Interdisciplinary Research Conference on Hypertension in Blacks, focusing on epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment. Uncontrolled hypertension is the number one health problem of Black Americans. It is estimated that five million Blacks have the disease. They suffer from 3 to 4 times the rate of fatal stroke, twice the rate of left ventricular hypertrophy, and as much as 18 times the amount of hypertension related end-stage renal disease than the white population. Only recently have researchers begun to define the nature of this disease in the Black population. For example, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has established a training program in hypertension research for faculty from minority universities. This conference is planned to update those investigators who are in training (as well as certain established hypertension scientists) in """"""""the state of the art"""""""" of research of hypertension in Blacks. Experts who have written on these topics will interface with panelists in the main session. Small group forums will provide intimate sharing of ideas among faculty, scientists, and trainees. Proceedings will be published and an audio-visual tape will be produced. These will document the conference in detail and be made available to direct more careful research in this field. They may also stimulate minority research trainees to enter health related endeavors.
