Leon is an African American, 55-year-old male. He is a non-smoker, is a nondrinker, and has a healthy weight for his height. On weekends, he coaches a youth baseball team in his community and loves to eat hot dogs and nachos with the children after they play. Leon attends a community health clinic to have a routine urinalysis and blood pressure monitored. Leon attends a community health clinic to have a routine urinalysis and blood pressure monitored. At his last visit, his blood pressure was 168/92 mm Hg. Although Leon was pleased that “the lower number dropped from 96 to 92,” his physician was still concerned. He warned Leon about the dietary choices he was making and reminded him to limit his salt intake. He also renewed Leon’s prescription for diuretics and added an ACE inhibitor to Leon’s treatment regime.

• Speculate how Leon’s ethnicity contributes to his hypertension. What other determinants of health contribute to the prevalence of hypertensive disease in this population?
• What is the significance of an elevated systolic pressure, even in the absence of diastolic hypertension?What is the mechanism of action of the two classes of drugs Leon was prescribed for the management of his hypertension?