Low-income settings tied to worse blood pressure control

When it comes to treating blood pressure, the environment in which you get care may also be important. A new study of nearly 28,000 people included in a large heart study found that those who were treated in low-income settings had worse outcomes than those treated in high-income areas. For instance, those treated in low-income settings — who also tended to be women, to be black or Hispanic, or have less education — were less likely to control their blood pressure and had about 25% higher rates of death from any cause than those who were treated in high-income settings. However, people treated in low-income settings also had fewer hospitalizations for chest pain. Characteristics in low-income settings, such as quality of care or availability of healthy foods, may explain the differences, the authors write.