[Hypertension in black patients].

Black skin is a common feature of many ethnic groups living in Africa, or originating from Africa and living in America or Europe. Despite this variety, hypertension in blacks is assumed to have several common epidemiological, physiological and clinical characteristics. However, on the epidemiological level, the increase of hypertension prevalence and its association with obesity and diabetes are linked with the detrimental effect of an urbanized and westernized environment. Most physiological theories are unsophisticated and have no useful consequence at the individual level. The care of black hypertensive patients is therefore quite standard and involves the integration of associated risk factors, target-organ damage and compelling conditions, as well as lifestyle and illness representation.