High Blood Pressure Hits Low-Income Patients Harder
Low-income patients were half as likely to have their blood pressure controlled over six years in a randomized clinical trial in which all participants received the same treatment, according to new research in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Those being treated in low-income areas also had a 25 percent higher chance of being hospitalized for and dying from heart failure, and a 25 percent higher chance of dying from any cause over the same time period. The study’s authors pointed to systemic socioeconomic differences, the stressors of living in poverty, and barriers (like transportation) to regular visits to medical clinics.