Black-white differences in response to antihypertensive medication.

There appear to be differences in degree and rate of response of black and white subjects to various antihypertensive medications. Diuretics and calcium channel blockers are more effective on average in older black patients than beta blockers or ACE inhibitors. White patients, especially younger individuals, appear to respond somewhat better to beta blockers and ACE inhibitors than to diuretics or calcium channel blockers. When any medications, such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, or calcium channel blockers, are combined with small doses of diuretics, the black-white difference in response disappears; black and white patients appear to respond equally well to combination therapy.