High Blood Pressure: The Black Man and Woman's Guide to Living with Hypertension [Paperback]

Hilton M. Hudson II MD FACS (Author), James W. Reed MD FACP FACE (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

Designed for the lay reader who has recently been diagnosed with hypertension, this book discusses major symptoms, prevention techniques, risk factors, complications, and treatment and emphasizes self-care, stress management, and empowerment.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Reed (medicine, Morehouse Sch. of Medicine) and Hudson (vice chair, cardiothoracic surgery, Rockford Health Syst., IL) aim to educate African Americans about hypertension and related illnesses, in which they specialize. In straightforward language, they explain the condition, its symptoms (or lack thereof), and various treatment options, including drug therapy and alternative therapies. Most helpful are the "In a Nutshell" capsules located at the end of each chapter. Of note, Chapter 8, titled "Prayer and Healing," promotes spirituality as a means of controlling stress, which is a major cause of high blood pressure. Here, they go so far as to suggest specific passages from the Bible, which will be helpful to Christians but may put off others. That aside, the information, combined with many well-drawn and complete illustrations, is accessible to patrons of most reading comprehension levels. Recommended for public libraries and consumer health collections that serve African American communities.
Nicole A. Cooke, Univ. of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey Lib., Newark
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Hudson is a practicing cardiac surgeon and the Clinical Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Rockford Health Systems, Rockford, IL. He graduated cum laude from Wabash College, and received his medical training at Indiana University Medical School. He trained in general surgery at Boston City Hospital and Boston University Hospital, Boston, MA. He did his cardiothoracic training at Ohio State University. He is certified in both thoracic-cardiac surgery and general surgery. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the College of Chest Physicians. He belongs to the American Medical Association, the National Medical Association, Boston Surgical Society, Hinton-Wright Society at Harvard Medical School, and the Zollinger Surgical Society.

Reed is dean of medicine at Morehouse University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Hilton Publishing; 1 edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971606714
• ISBN-13: 978-0971606715
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,596,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All about the Silent Killer, March 4, 2003

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: High Blood Pressure: The Black Man and Woman's Guide to Living with Hypertension (Paperback)

High Blood Pressure (HBP) is an informative guide to living with
hypertension, the silent killer among African-Americans.
The guide is written in layman's terms and informs the reader of all
aspects of detection, treatment and management. The book allows the
reader an opportunity to learn how to take their own blood pressure
and how to purchase the equipment to monitor one's pressure at home.
HBP clearly outlines the complications from having uncontrolled blood
pressure. It concludes with sections on healthy eating and diet
modifications, stress management and the importance of having a
spiritual foundation in dealing with high blood pressure.

Reed and Hudson have written an easy to read book on a condition that
is treatable. It empowers the reader to become an active part of
their health plan. After reading this book, I made the necessary
calls to have my blood pressure checked.

Reviewed by Robilyn
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

4.0 out of 5 stars Better to learn to live WITHOUT high blood pressure, April 2, 2003

By 

Dr. Richard Moore (Placitas, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: High Blood Pressure: The Black Man and Woman's Guide to Living with Hypertension (Paperback)

Learning how to take your own blood pressure at home has important information. Moreover, the advice in this book to lose weight and reduce sodium in your diet is good. However, lowering sodium without replacing it with potassium, i.e. increasing the ratio of potassium to sodium in the diet, is often futile. People whose diet has a ratio of potassium to sodium over 4 (preferably over 10) almost never get hypertension. By contrast, the average American white has a dietary ratio of 0.6 and the average American black has a dietary ratio of only 0.38.
Unfortunately, the medical profession just can't bring itself to accept that this is the main answer to the plague of hypertension; and of course, the drug companies don't encourage that either.

The idea that psychological stress causes high blood pressure simply doesn't hold up. Provided the dietary ratio of potassium to sodium is above 4, populations with severe stress do not get high blood pressure.

Blacks should consider these simple facts; in rural Africa, blacks almost never get high blood pressure! The part of the world with the LOWEST incidence of both high blood pressure and strokes is West Africa!!! Although this is never mentioned (3 computer searches could not find a reference)in the medical literature, it IS well documented in the anthropology literature. Moreover, I have letters from three medical missionaries telling me their three clinics in Africa did not see a single case of high blood pressure during the last century.

What blacks, and all people, need to learn is how to live WITHOUT high blood pressure. High Blood Pressure is PREVENTABLE and (the medical profession doesn't agree with this) CURABLE since the cause IS known. You can find this information in both my book (The High Blood Pressure Solution) and in Dr. Julian Whitaker's book (Reversing Hypertension).

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy advice applicable for people of all races, November 13, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: High Blood Pressure: The Black Man and Woman's Guide to Living with Hypertension (Paperback)

High Blood Pressure: The Black Man and Woman's Guide to Living with Hypertension is a lifesaving guide written by medical professionals James W. Reed (Professor of Medicine and Associate Chair of Medicine for Research, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia) and Hilton M. Hudson (Vice Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Rockford Health Systems, Rockford, Illinois) especially for the non-specialist general reader. Addressing the problems of high blood pressure among black men and women specifically, High Blood Pressure explains in straightforward, direct, easy-to-understand terms, the causes, complications, and treatments for this widespread health problem. Emphasizing healthy eating and a fitness-conscious lifestyle, as well as stress relief especially for black men and women, High Blood Pressure contains worthy advice applicable for people of all races and is a highly recommended informational resource for all health-conscious readers, but especially those at risk for high blood pressure.