Varied Reactions to Standard Treatments among Different Groups

While there is a need to individualize treatment, there is evidence that different groups metabolize drugs for diabetes, depression, and hypertension differently. One has to be careful, however, not to generalize these trends and to pay particular attention to individual needs. For example, some people of African-American, Asian, and Hispanic descent metabolize some psychotropic drugs more slowly than the majority US population. Variations in side effects can also be marked. Another example is the beta blocker used to treat hypertension, angina, heart attacks, and migraine headaches. Some Chinese eliminate the beta blocker from their bodies at twice the rate of the majority population. At the same time, some Chinese require only half the blood level of this medication as compared with the majority population to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. The general guidance is to refrain from stereotyping by focusing on individualized treatment. For more information on reactions to standard treatments among different racial and ethnic groups, please visit http://www.patientcareonline.com and the May 15, 2000 issue of Patient Care, entitled “Caring for Diverse Populations.”

Continue reading for references and links about common health problems in selected minority, ethnic, and cultural groups.