Happy New Year from ISHIB!

The beginning of the year is a time to pause and reflect on the accomplishments of the past year and consider the goals we have yet to achieve in the coming year. The year 2003 was a time of change and growth for ISHIB. We saw a change in leadership, as Mr. Kermit Payne moved on to other challenges, and I was honored with the opportunity to fill his shoes as CEO. We experienced global political unrest and economic difficulties, which forced us to first postpone, and then ultimately cancel, our much-anticipated conference in Ghana. We witnessed the publication of our landmark guidelines on treating hypertension in African Americans, which should improve the care of Black patients throughout the country. We conducted cardiovascular risk assessment and education programs in multiple communities across the United States. And we continued to promote our mission and strive to improve the health and life expectancy of ethnic minority populations worldwide.

In 2004, we are another year closer to the stated goal of Healthy People 2010: to eliminate health disparities in ethnic populations by the year 2010. But we still see dramatically higher morbidity and mortality in people of color. Still 35% of adult African-American men are hypertensive, compared to 20% of their White counterparts. The prevalence of overweight is still higher in African-American (53%) and Mexican-American (52%) than in White (34%) women. And still only 50% of American Indians/Alaska Natives and 44% of Asian Americans have had a cholesterol test in the last 2 years.

These statistics indicate that we still have a long way to go. So in 2004, ISHIB is renewing its committment and redoubling its efforts to eliminate these disparities. We will be working harder than ever to encourage the community to make healthy lifestyle choices, providers to improve their treatment of minority patients, and policymakers to advocate for ethnic minority health. Please join us as we begin a difficult--but very rewarding--year of work towards a healthier future for everyone.

Christopher T. Fitzpatrick
CEO of ISHIB

ISHIB invites all healthcare professionals and students to submit abstracts concerning the treatment and prevention of hypertension and other disorders to be considered for presentation at the ISHIB2004 scientific meeting. Authors from past conferences have assisted in an exchange of information critical to the global understanding of hypertension and chronic disorders as they relate to ethnic minority populations.

Abstracts may be submitted in any scientific discipline related to the health of ethnic minority populations and may represent either completed works or results of work in progress. Curriculum vitae of the principal author must be included with the abstract. Previously published or presented abstracts will not be considered.

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The American Academy of Nursing has elected Linda Burnes-Bolton, RN, PhD, FAAN to the position of President-Elect. With this election and the two-year term of President Elect, Dr Burnes-Bolton will assume the Presidency of the AAN in 2006.

John Garde, Interim Executive Director, AAN, stated, “the academy is pleased to know that Dr Burnes-Bolton has been elected to this very important position. Linda’s past work and vision will move the academy forward to achieve its strengths and potential.”

The Academy is constituted to potentiate the contributions of nursing leaders in transforming the health care system to optimize public well-being. This leadership is grounded in a global perspective, enriched by diversity, and actualized through partnerships with other health care and consumer groups.

Recent data highlight the potential of candesartan cilexetil in reducing the incidence of stroke in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH).

Data from a pre-specified analysis in the group of patients with ISH, demonstrate a dramatic 42% relative risk reduction (p=0.05) in fatal/non-fatal strokes in the candesartan group compared to the control group, despite little difference in blood-pressure lowering. A total of 4964 patients aged 70-89 years with systolic blood pressure 160-179 mm Hg, or diastolic blood pressure 90-99 mm Hg were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to double-blind candesartan or placebo with standard open-label antihypertensive therapy added as needed to control blood pressure. Of these patients, 1518 had ISH (SBP >160 and DBP <90 mm Hg).

The study showed that a total of 20 strokes (3 fatal, 17 non-fatal) occurred in the candesartan treatment group, whereas 35 (7 fatal, 28 non-fatal) occurred in the control group. The study revealed similar reductions in blood pressure in the two groups; blood pressure fell by 22/6 mm Hg in the candesartan group and 20/5 mm Hg in the control group.

ISH is the most common form of hypertension in the elderly accounting for approximately two thirds of all cases of hypertension among these individuals. ISH has been shown to increase cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality two-fold or more and can triple cardiovascular mortality. Hypertension remains the single most important risk factor for stroke.

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